Drum Therapy And You: HOW DRUM THERAPY AFFECTS YOUR BRAIN TURNER E.
People claim that, after a period of drumming, they feel calmed and relaxed. This in itself is great, but can drumming, or playing percussion instruments, affect physical disabilities as well as improve people’s state of mind? Many music therapists, physicians, and psychologists say “yes.” es
How Did It Begin?
rhythm
to
promote
healing
and
self-
expression.” He goes on to state that current research confirms that rhythmic music originating
Long before it had a name like “therapeutic music”
thousands of years ago in Asia and Africa can
or “drum therapy,” the use of simple drums and
have a huge impact on people’s health to-
other percussion type instruments were part of dai-
day.
ly life as well as ceremonies. Drum therapy draws
physical healing, boosts the immune system,
its roots from shamanic rituals in nomadic tribes
produces feelings of well-being, and a release of
from the Tuva in Russia to the Minianka in West
trauma.”
Africa. Emily Saarman documented the findings of
particularly drum therapy, can help many differ-
a symposium on rhythmic music held at Stanford
ent kinds of physical and mental problems, includ-
University.
ing Alzheimer's disease, autism, Parkinson’s dis-
She noted that “ritual drumming is
Drake writes that drumming “accelerates
Other researchers claim that music,
found in cultures throughout the world...to induce
ease,
trance states.” Ancient people may have believed
Parkinson’s disease, and trauma-related disorders.
that drumming would drive out evil spirits that
Topper Headon, drummer for the punk rock band
caused bad things such as fires, droughts, head-
The
aches, sores, death, sickness and other maladies
and
and accidents. Michael Drake, author of The Sha-
while its origins are ancient, drumming continues
manic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming, writes
to serve many valuable purposes for people today
that drum therapy is “an ancient approach that us-
well beyond music.
and
Clash,
t ra u m a - r e l a t e d
calls
drumming
d i s o rd e r s .
a
“primeval
distinctly, universally human activity.”
So