"For us as human beings, there is rhythm to everything about us and around us. Our heartbeats, our breathing, our gut function, our movements, activity and rest, the cycle of day and night, the seasons ... our entire life is connected to a regular pulse and pattern. When we, as well as the things around us, are in rhythm, we are healthy and we thrive. But when we are out of sync, we don't cope and we become ill."

These are the words of Arifa Sheik Ismail, an occupational therapy lecturer at Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, who recently launched a new project to investigate the use of drumming as an intervention to support student mental health and wellbeing.

 “As a clinician, I have used rhythmic activities for adults with physical disabilities and children with learning difficulties with great success, and I believe the use of rhythmic activities is beneficial to the health and well-being of all who engage with it. I am excited to explore these benefits even further with the new drumming initiative within the Division of Occupational Therapy, and to incorporate my findings in my PhD next year."

According to Sheik Ismail, the drumming project was launched earlier this year with the support of the head of the division, Prof Nicola Plastow, and some of the Occupational Therapy (OT) second-year students who voluntarily participated in the sessions.

“We started with five sessions over a course of five weeks. I chose to start out with the second-year OT students, since the first-year OT students are mostly on Stellenbosch campus, and the third- and fourth-year OT students are based at numerous clinical work sites across the Western and Northern Cape. However, it is my dream to offer free regular sessions to all our students at the faculty eventually and I am hoping that the PhD will help me plan and do just that!"

Before the project launch, Sheik Ismail completed a drum facilitation course along with three of her colleagues. "As the project coordinator, I am working with a djembe drum facilitator, Bevil Spence, and we are using his Drum-360 method – a technique that uses rhythmic-based activities in a learning or therapeutic environment. While the main focus of my work will be the drumming sessions with students on Tygerberg campus, one of my colleagues will also coordinate drumming sessions with a group of children and adults at the Bishop Lavis Rehabilitation Centre nearby." 

According to Sheik Ismail, an increasing number of occupational therapists in mental health facilities are starting to use drumming successfully in their group work with patients.

“Research has shown that engaging in art (and music is a form of art) increases our dopamine levels (a feel-good neurotransmitter) which has multiple benefits," explains Sheik Ismail. “It boosts concentration and drive, and stimulates the creation of new neural connections, thus preparing you for learning while deterring depression and even ageing. Student health and well-being have always been of great concern to me and I am looking forward to learn how the use of drumming can support better outcomes."

Photo credit: Arifa Sheik Ismail and Bevil Spence