Welcome to my podcast, The Wellness Project with Des. On today’s episode, we talk with Jorge Ochoa, an occupational therapist working with students in special education and the founder and facilitator of TamboRhythms Group Drumming.
In 2007, Jorge began looking into drumming and discovered a drumming program that focused on children with special needs. He asked his Special Education Director to buy him the program. She agreed and this was the start of his journey.
The more Jorge looked into group drumming, the more he began to understand how the music fits into the Occupational Therapy Framework. Drumming has benefits in the areas of academic skills, social-emotional learning, sensory-motor skills, vestibular sense, proprioception, mental health.
Jorge explains that not only is drumming a healthy and creative outlet, but it has many benefits as well. Some of the benefits of drumming:
- Increase to the immune system
- Improved mood
- Decreased stress
- Grounding
- Releasing anger
- Releases endorphins
- Taking turns and being able to share
- Self-control
- Attention span
- Self-regulation
Jorge also explains that after about 20-30 mins of hearing music played at 60 beats per minute increases your brain’s alpha waves which are the brain waves we associate with calming.
Jorge also talks with us about how drumming personally helps him with his stutter and his mental health diagnosis of anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Listen to this episode to learn all about drumming and how it can benefit you!
Jorge runs an Expressive Therapeutic Rhythm Session on the first Saturday of every month and it’s open to all ages. Check it out if you are in the San Antonio area!
Listen Here —>
Where to find Jorge:
Mentions:
- Djembe, a West African Drum- the most often used drum in a drum circle