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From the dawn of time the drum has been used as a tool of communication, community building and as a key part of healing rituals. Today, the primitive sound of the drums at Castle Craig provides our patients with a release from their often chaotic and over-stimulated lifestyles.
A chorus of tuned drums, percussion instruments, and vocals create a holistic therapy for body, mind, and spirit. Trained and experienced in Drumming Therapy, specialist therapist Phil Grant facilitates the sessions.

Watch a video of a Drumming Therapy session (Requires Flash 8)


More About Drumming

What Are The Benefits?


  • Physical Health: Drumming is good for your immune system. Studies have shown that drumming has significant potential to boost the immune system and increase “natural killer cell activity”.
  • Mental Health: Drumming relieves stress and helps the mind focus and meditate, resulting in physical, emotional and social benefits. Creating music with drums is an ‘active’ form of meditation and the release from stress and emotional trauma is phenomenal!
  • Emotional Health: Drumming is liberating and exhilarating. It improves your spiritual well-being as you express yourself in a natural, creative and energetic way.
  • Unity and Team Building: Interactive drumming breaks down barriers of hierarchy, age, gender, culture and language. Drumming is a great ice-breaker and gets the group communicating, listening to one another and working together as a team to create music. It evokes togetherness and leaves you with a sense of belonging.

12-Step Drumming


We will soon be introducing an application of the 11th Step of Alcoholics Anonymous, using meditation music and a variety of percussion instruments to reinforce connection with a Higher Power. This would enable participants to relax, talk about forgiveness and acceptance, and work on releasing the guilt and shame produced as a result of their addictions. Meditation combined with drumming can help the participants to connect with their inner self and to awaken their true potential.

Who Benefits Most?


“All patients benefit”, says Phil our specialist therapist, “but in my opinion the patients at Castle Craig who benefit the most are those who find difficulty in expressing themselves with words. When they are urged to express their creativity through drumming they come alive. They become excited and start enjoying themselves, they become comfortable within the group and with others. Everyone who comes to the drumming session leaves the room with a smile on their face.”

What Happens In Our Community Drum Circle?


  • The facilitator describes and demonstrates the use of different drums and percussion instruments to newcomers
  • The session starts with a warm-up exercise to engage and relax the group
  • A vocal element is introduced to engage the group in coordinated chanting/singing activities to boost their energy
  • Participants are also encouraged to express their individual spirit and spontaneity through the beats of the drums

What Our Patients Think




Some Interesting Studies On Drumming Therapy