When people think of therapy, they typically think of talk therapy. You sit on a couch, and you tell your therapist what’s going on with you. But what do you do when you get stuck in an emotion or a memory and cannot find the right words to articulate yourself? To address the limitations within traditional therapy, researchers have turned towards old wisdom in expression: The Arts! Expressive Arts Therapy consists of dance, visual arts, nature, the senses, and music. While listening to music has been shown to help develop brains and heal older minds, much more of the brain is activated and stimulated when a person creates music or dances with it.
A problem arises here. Cost of instruments aside and the fact that your therapist doesn’t have space for a grand piano in their office, most people can feel intimidated when it comes to learning an instrument. One instrument that tends to be less intimidating for beginners is the drum, so you often find it in spaces where music-based expressive arts therapy is practiced. While there are many types of drums across various cultures, the djembe is an instrument utilized in many studies examining the benefits of drumming as therapy. Originating in the Mali Empire of West Africa, the djembe was an instrument played by griots, “well-respected high-class court musicians,” who would pass down stories or communicate the arrival of the king through the beats of the drum (2025, Drum Africa).
The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade stole millions of Africans from their homeland and forced them onto plantations throughout the New World. Those who survived the journey and resisted total assimilation kept their cultures alive by passing down knowledge, stories, and music to their descendants. Due to these efforts, you’ll find Afro-Indigenous cultures throughout the Caribbean and Latin America with instruments similar to the djembe. Although its roots are deep in African culture, the drum is an inclusive instrument with benefits that have been shown across race, gender, and disability.
“For women dealing with eating disorders, children with autism, cancer patients, war veterans living with PTSD, individuals with anger management issues, people with addictions, and even Alzheimer’s patients, drumming offers physical and emotional benefits”
— Robert T Muller Ph.D. (The Heart is a Drum Machine: Drumming as Therapy) / PsychologyToday.com
A study in 2015 examined how a rhythm and dance ceremonial practice called Zebola originating from Central/South Africa could provide benefits to those suffering from chronic illness. 17 participants engaged in a “religion-neutral” Zebola facilitated by a Lucumí (Yoroba) priest. All but one of the participants reported “relaxation/stress reduction, experience of altered consciousness, appreciation of the dance leader, a feeling of positive energy and social support/bonding.” Another study published in 2018, examined how those suffering from addiction benefited from the drums as an intervention. The collection of reports from 39 mental health patients, psychologists, and counselors found that those who participated in group drumming circles reported similar markers of psychological well-being.
More and more studies and percussion-based initiatives have shown the clear benefits of drumming as a trauma intervention. Locally, Dr. Ram Bhagat, co-founder of the Richmond group Drums Not Guns, applies this afro-indigenous restorative arts approach to facilitate “community-based trauma healing, particularly trauma caused by war, violence, and genocide” (rambhagat.com).
Drumming and dance tap into the senses, stimulating the brain and activating the muscles.
When considering therapy options, take the opportunity to lean into non-traditional interventions that recognize the mind and body are one and the healing power of the expressive arts.
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