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Talking drums is a social enterprise offering
- drumming circles
- drumming as a therapeutic activity
- one to one consultations
to help you deal more effectively with work, education and everyday life. It can be used to work through stress, anger, and foster personal development.
We work towards empowering people to participate more fully in society in a positive manner. We do this using the African drum as an expression tool and by group discussion.
Drumming is…
- good for relaxation
- fosters a sense of unity
- encourages self-expression
- can lead to a more positive self-esteem.
WHO ARE TALKING DRUMS?
From backgrounds in the music industry and in social work respectively, Neville Brown and Beth Haining have realised their dream of bringing the benefits of drumming to a wide range of people by creating Talking Drums as an innovative, not-for-profit social enterprise.
RESEARCH ON THE BENEFITS OF DRUMMING
The African hand drum has been used for thousands of years in celebrations, rituals and ceremonies. However, the merging of science with the healing qualities of the African hand drum is a relatively new development.
A study lead by neurologist Barry Bitman of the mind-body wellness centre in Meadville, Pa., found that patients who took part in group drumming, or drumming circles, experienced increased levels of disease-fighting immune system cells called natural killer cells. Bitman tested blood chemistry of 111 healthy people in a series of experiments. Participants in all groups experienced a drop in cortisol, an indicator of stress, Bitman says, but only the group of active drummers had a significant increase in natural killer cells. He attributes the change to the self-expression, camaraderie and the rhythmic drumming. Research has also shown that drumming induces an alpha brain state which is associated with stress release, mental clarity, enhanced productivity and creativity and the ability to process information more effectively.
The first controlled scientific investigation of its kind to document specific immune system effects of group drumming music therapy in normal subjects was published in the prestigious international journal, Alternative Therapies- Jan. 2001. The research team included Barry B Bitman, MD; Lee S Berk, DrPH, MPH; David L. Felton, MD and Melissa Ninehouser, BS.
