Tyler’s Redemption Place in Akron, Ohio pulsed with energy and rhythm on November 15, as participants came together for a drum circle workshop. The team (a collaboration between Trust Drum Circles founder Maseh Nchang, The Summit FM’s Music and Wellness Coordinator Sarah Swirsky, and renowned guitarist and recovery advocate Marc Lee Shannon) created an interactive live-music experience grounded in reflection, community, and restoration.
Through the rhythmic beat of the drums, participants found not only music, but a reminder of the transformative powers of connection, and the invitation to heal.
Somatic Regulation Through Rhythm and Movement
The workshop began casually with participants trickling in, exploring and choosing instruments and finding a comfortable seat. While Shannon and Nchang created a relaxing atmosphere with ambient guitar melodies and drum beats, Swirsky guided attendees through chair yoga to loosen muscles and calm the mind.
After a healing warm-up, rhythms picked up as Nchang led participants through multiple drum circles sessions. From novices to experienced players, everyone found a rhythm of their own while Nchang facilitated polyrhythms, assisted participants with instruments, and explored the cultural roots of drumming, all while building a communal sound that was intuitive, powerful, and spiritual.
Participants said they experienced a range of emotion: “joy…happiness…energy…a release of emotion.” Debby Kirkpatrick, Program Director of Hope United – Tyler’s Redemption Place, said “one participant was brought to unexpected tears releasing emotion from her body she had been carrying.”
During the hour-long session, attendees laughed, smiled, and found themselves peacefully present, experiencing mindfulness and even healing though the rhythms of drumming. Laura Broyles, Education and Outreach Director of Tyler’s Redemption Place, said it was an “amazing experience,” and Kirkpatrick echoed the sentiment saying, “It was one of the most freeing experiences I’ve had in some time…The rhythms we created were very healing and beautiful.”
Nervous System Grounding
To close the session, everyone was invited into a “rhythm cradle,” a quiet, grounding exercise where slow, steady drumming created a cocoon of sound around participants. Paired with deep breathing, the experience seemed to soften the room. One participant said she felt “calm, as if she was in a peaceful body of water” while the drumming “sounded around her body.” Afterwards, Swirsky gently guided the group through a cooldown with breathwork, and everyone shared words of gratitude. Kirkpatrick said “Everyone wanted the event to continue when it came to a close, and wanted to know when and where they could experience the trust drum circle again.”
Trust Drum Circles (TDC) is a community-building non-profit that empowers people through rhythm, wellness, and cultural arts preservation. Its flagship initiative, The Rhythm Collective, brings drumming programs to schools, community centers, disability organizations, and recovery spaces across Ohio. By pairing with Tyler’s Redemption Place, TDC offered participants a creative and holistic form of healing, reflecting United Hope’s mission to provide holistic recovery that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit.
Adaptable for residential, outpatient, detox, and community recovery environments, Trust Drum Circles sessions support trauma-informed recovery by promoting emotional regulation, nonverbal expression, and safe connection through guided group engagement.
Interested in bringing innovative, holistic programming to your organization? Book a drumming session today and help your clients experience connection and healing through rhythm.
Contact: maseh@trustdrumcircles.org | +1 (614) 216-8026
Book Trust Drum Circles for your next recovery program, outreach event, or community engagement experience.
Collaborators:
WAPS-FM “The Summit FM” serves Akron-Canton, Ohio at 91.3; Youngstown, Ohio-Western, Pa. at 90.7; and Athens, Ohio at 90.1, inspiring a love of music through partnerships with nonprofits, local artists and regional businesses.
ArtsNow is a Summit County-based nonprofit that strengthens the region’s economic and social vibrancy by advancing access to arts and culture. Through advocacy, data-driven research, community partnerships, and funding, ArtsNow works to connect artists, organizations, and the public while expanding creative opportunities across Summit County. The drum circle workshop at Tyler’s Redemption Place was made possible through key funding by ArtsNow, awarded to The Summit FM to support their new Music & Wellness Program, a multimedia initiative that uses music to promote mental health and emotional well-being across diverse communities.
Marc Lee Shannon is a renowned Northeast Ohio guitarist, songwriter, and producer whose music career spans more than three decades. A respected recovery advocate, Shannon uses his artistry and lived experience to inspire connection, healing, and hope through music.
Trust Drum Circles, founded in 2022, is a mobile, inclusive arts and wellness organization dedicated to using rhythm to heal, connect, and empower communities. Through adaptive drum circles and music-based programs, TDC fosters growth, joy, and belonging for people of all ages and abilities.
Contact: maseh@masehtrustdrumcircles.org
Book Trust Drum Circles for your next recovery program, outreach event, or community engagement experience.
