Drumming for Your Life at Weingart Center
FINDING A NEW RHYTHM
Drumming for Your Life at Weingart Center
Residents across Weingart Center’s Interim and Permanent Supportive Housing communities gather in circles of chairs, each with a hand drum, to take part in Drumming for Your Life Institute’s Life Skills Drumming Program. In these onsite sessions, a facilitator guides residents through simple rhythmic exercises, breathing, and reflection that make space for people to release stress, connect with one another, and practice new coping skills in real time.
Drumming for Your Life(DFYL) is a Los Angeles–based nonprofit that helps Angelenos facing homelessness, substance use disorder, mental health challenges, and justice involvement build emotional tools for daily life.
“Drumming has a scientific effect on helping release anxiety.”
~ Dr. Jonathan E. Sherin, LA County Dept. of Mental Health
600 San Pedro resident, Ivan, enjoys a personalized one-on-one drumming session with the facilitator.
What DFYL Brings to Our Residents
DFYL’s Life Skills Drumming Program is designed specifically for settings like homeless centers, recovery programs, TAY programs, and mental health centers—the same systems many of our residents have touched.
In both group and one‑on‑one sessions, DFYL facilitators use drumming and visualization exercises built around ten core character values: Trust, Responsibility, Justice, Loyalty, Honesty, Self‑Discipline, Survival, Character, Respect, and Independence. These sessions are trauma‑informed, low‑barrier, and do not require any musical experience—participants can simply show up, pick up a drum, and join at their own pace.
Through this structure, residents are supported to:
Express emotions safely – The program “helps participants to identify and reflect upon their feelings and emotions in a safe way,” using the drum to “break down psychological barriers” and release deep wounds in a non‑violent, embodied way. This is especially important for people who may not feel ready, or safe, to talk directly about trauma.
Quiet negative internal voices – DFYL focuses on “The Psychology of Rhythmic Energy®,” using steady, assertive rhythms to counteract what they call the “negative internal voices” that keep people stuck. As participants gain skill and confidence on the drum, they also build a more confident inner voice and sense of self.
Build emotional regulation and impulse control – The program helps participants “develop the essential emotional intelligence needed to maintain control over anger and impulsive behavior.” For PSH residents, these skills directly support housing stability, community living, and reentry from incarceration or institutions.
Strengthen decision‑making and problem‑solving – DFYL emphasizes decision‑making and problem‑solving skills that “lead participants to make safer and better choices.” In a housing context, that can translate into healthier coping strategies, improved relationships with neighbors, and deeper engagement with services.
Reclaim agency and authentic voice – A key goal is to “free negative internal voices” so that each person can discover their own authentic voice through the drum. For residents who have spent years being defined by systems, diagnoses, or case numbers, this kind of creative self‑expression can be grounding and empowering.
Residents at Weingart Tower 1 participate in a group session with a program facilitator.
Weingart Tower 1 resident, Sonya participates in a group session with a program facilitator.
Weingart Tower 1 resident, Ian takes part in a group session by using a drum kit.
“I used to feel like I was just surviving the day. In drumming, I feel like I’m part of something, like I’m actually in rhythm with other people again. It helps me calm down, think before I react, and believe I can handle whatever comes next.”
Why This Matters in Supportive Housing
Supportive Housing are about more than a roof; it’s about rebuilding a life after homelessness, incarceration, and long‑term instability. DFYL’s Life Skills Drumming fits naturally alongside Weingart Center’s case management, clinical care, and peer support by giving residents:
A predictable, safe space for emotional release and regulation
A non‑verbal pathway for processing trauma and stress
A community experience that reduces isolation and builds connection
A structured way to practice the values and skills that help them keep their housing and move toward the future they want
Residents at The Weingart Mayfair participate in a group drumming session with a program facilitator.
A resident at The Weingart Mayfair participates in a group drumming session.
A program facilitator leads a group drumming session.
Residents at The Weingart Mayfair participates in a group drumming session.
Weingart Center is proud to partner with Drumming for Your Life Institute to bring this powerful, rhythm‑based healing space into our communities. For many residents, the drum circle has become a weekly reminder that even after everything they have survived, they can still find a new rhythm—and a new way forward.
