The Return of Hot August Music

I say yes to Hot August Music because of this:

Come join me August 15, 2015 at Oregon Ridge Park to do it for our 3rd year.

Lineup and ticket info riiight....here :)

MPT Feature Airing Tonight!

The above feature airs tonight at 7:30 on MPT's Your Money and Business.

In August, their production crew visited two of my groups, a Beatwell Group Therapy with adults with chronic mental illness and a Beatwell Playshop with seniors at a residential complex.

Baltimore Book Festival 2014 Recap

Effective libraries serve numerous functions. Books are important and what most of us associate with the local library.

Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library has plenty of books with over 20 branch locations.

They also realize they serve their city by building community.

I began working with Enoch Pratt earlier this year when I was asked to share a few programs at their Federal Hill branch. The success of these events awarded me the opportunity to kick off the Baltimore Book Festival. 

For an hour, my team and I welcomed infants, a preschool, parents and that monster from Where The Wild Things Are to drum joyfully and in community. We did it on the entrance to the Maryland Science Center in the Inner Harbor--a perfect location.

Maryland Public TV Preview

This is cool...

Last month I shared a couple unique Beatwell Playshops with some familiar friends.

Unique in that Maryland Public Television producers were on site to film!

I returned to Weinberg Village, an independent senior living community in Owings Mills, and also shared my largest drum circle group therapy at my "day job" with over 40 adults with chronic mental illness.

Both shoots were memorable, and I look forward to sharing the upcoming MPT air date and video link with you soon!

-Jordan

Hot August Music Festival 2014

Beatwell returned for our second year to the Hot August Music Festival. The sold out event took over Oregon Ridge Park. We shared three Beatwell Drum Circles including one just for the kids!

The world has 40 new Drum Circle Facilitators!

Over the past two weeks, I trained the 40 kids above (ages 4-9) to become drum circle facilitators.

This was part of a performing arts camp at the Owings Mills JCC. I have worked with many groups of kids, but I used this residency as an opportunity to empower the children as leaders.

This is now the mission of all of my programs.

I was inspired by Jim Donovan's 4-day Drum Circle Leadership training in Loretto, PA at the end of June. I highly recommend one of Jim's many trainings.

Today I began with a new group of campers and at the end of next week we'll be debuting another stage full of leaders!

Coming Full Circle

In three hours I will return to The Auburn School to share an end of the year, celebratory drum circle. They gave me the amazing opportunity to share Beatwell Playshops, twice a week, for the first few months of the school year. I'm pumped to finish the year with them just as strong as we started it.

The Calm Before the Beatwell Playshop

These bookend bookings at Auburn seemed fitting as some commitments have ended for the summer and new ones begin. My consultation sessions and drum therapy groups at the Hannah More School have come to an end. These experiences helped me continue to grow as a clinician, educator and leader in therapeutic drumming. I look forward to continuing my work at Hannah More in September!

I'm excited to begin working with Greater Allegany Counseling, a private psychotherapy practice out of Catonsville, MD as a therapist. This will allow me to introduce therapeutic drumming to various populations and will provide for me the experience needed to become an independently licensed psychotherapist.

Facilitating a Family Beatwell Playshop

In May, I shared a few unique Beatwell Playshops. I spent an evening in northwest Baltimore drumming with 25 seniors at the Bristol House. The organizers shared with me their joy of seeing the participants light up with drumming, dancing and laughter.

Beatwell Playshop at the Bristol House in Baltimore

In another first, I brought Beatwell to Goodwill Industries International in Baltimore. They host weekly groups aiding adults in search of steady employment. I was asked to lead a Playshop focused on team-building and engagement. About 20 of us drummed for an hour, creating possibly the most enjoyable music I've experienced in this work yet!

When I began this path of therapeutic and community drumming a few years ago, I could not have envisioned some of the opportunities that would come. My work consistently surprises, challenges and inspires me. I'm looking forward to a summer full of meaningful drumming!

April Playshops Recap

A great thing about Beatwell Playshops is getting to share them with all kinds of groups. 

In April I got to Beatwell with the Pigtown community for the third year a row. Some of the city's most passionate entrepreneurs and artists drummed with me at the Create Baltimore conference. I brought my program to a birthday party and a yeshiva (Jewish day school) for the first time. I've also continued to co-lead a therapeutic drum group at the Hannah More School in Reisterstown.

In the coming months I'll be drumming with more seniors, corporate employees, mental health populations and at plenty of camps and festivals! 

Pigtown Health Festival

Create Baltimore conference

Birthday Party at Drool of Rock

Holocaust Survivors Playshop Recap

I could attempt to sum up my experience sharing a Beatwell Playshop with over 30 Holocaust Survivors on this blog.

My best blogpost wouldn't do it justice.

Thankfully, Marc Shapiro from the Jewish Times documented this landmark event in my life with a magazine article and video.

JT Article

Video of Playshop

Beat well, indeed.

Spring Playshops

Spring is starting to break (although it's snowing outside) which is exciting because I'm starting to book Beatwell Playshops for the summer. I'm looking forward to sharing the joy of music-making with many camps, festivals and more.

Beatwell Playshop at Matisyahu concert at JCC

This is an exciting week with 3 Playshops, all with very different groups and purposes. Here's what's on tap:

Teens at Enoch Pratt Library in Federal Hill

Holocaust Survivors at Park Heights JCC

Baltimore Lab School students and their grandparents

Each Beatwell Playshop has it's own feel and goals, but a common thread is that we are building a positive community. Over the next month, I'll be sharing what I'm expecting to be powerful experiences with each of these groups. 

I'm also excited to announce that I passed all of the exams mentioned in the past few posts. I'm now a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor (LGPC) in Maryland. This is an important step in my career path which will allow me to expand the services I offer.

Here's to warmer weather and peaceful rhythms!

Creating Rhythm in the Smart Age

This is a fitting post (in many ways) to coincide with the 25th birthday of the World Wide Web.

The internet has given us the opportunity to easily connect with just about anyone in the world.

Kat Fulton is a music therapist who has led the way in integrating technology and marketing within the field. I had the idea for this article after seeing the great movie "Her." I took a shot and emailed Kat with the idea (I had nothing to lose). She thought it would resonate with her readers and just like that, it's published. Check it out at the link below!

Creating Rhythm in the Smart Age

I was rejected last week.

Credit: http://www.omghub.com/

I was rejected last week.

I am human. 

I was disappointed, disheartened, felt dismissed, and a few other words that start with "dis."

I think it's good to fully acknowledge and feel these natural feelings.

But after that, it becomes a choice in how to respond.

This is how I will respond—

I will realize that rejection is part of the bigger journey.

The amount of rejection and failure I experience is relative to the number of chances I take.

During my Beatwell Playshops, I encourage others to not only fail, but to FAIL BIG.

Without this vulnerability, we will rarely SUCCEED BIG. 

I am now even more motivated and committed to my mission.

Those who rejected me may one day come to regret it. 

And if they don't, that's okay too.

Creating New Worlds

When you create music, you create a new world.

Beatwell Playshop at Baltimore Lab School

I recently began joining a therapy group with two high schoolers. The "regular," weekly group therapy at school was not working out for the boys.

In this "Plan B" group, the school's therapist is expected to incorporate drumming, but has no prior experience.

This is where I come in.

Within minutes, I recognized a major dynamic between the two boys. They interact as bully and victim.

When engaged in a verbal context, one of the boys is downright cruel. 

However, the other has adapted by responding sarcastically, showing no chink in his armor.

The bully doesn't get the rise he's looking for, and the pursuit continues.

But when we all played music together for the first time, I felt a shift.

Credit: http://teacherscount.wordpress.com/tag/drumming/

Sure, their personality characteristics were still expressed—the bully took the driver's seat and we all went along for the ride.

But in this new world, the "bully" was now being supported.

We all worked as one team, expressing our individual voices while creating and continuously recreating one improvised world.

What a powerful metaphor!

Sometimes we get comfortable in our roles. Making music provides the space to explore new worlds, and thus a chance to explore new aspects of ourselves.

When I return to the group tomorrow, I plan to continue strengthening this more positive world of expression.

Where I'm Going—Update

Setting up the Intergenerational Beatwell Playshop

I'm excited and relieved to announce that I passed the National Counselor Exam last week! Once I pass a state law test I will become a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor (LGPC) in Maryland. This means I can provide supervised psychotherapy and counseling.

I'm eager to use these credentials and expanded opportunities to advocate for the healing properties of drumming and music-making!

Beatwell rolls on with 3 Playshops next Monday and Tuesday at the Owings Mills JCC. I look forward to sharing community building drum circles with over 60 kids from kindergarten through 5th grade!

I have also begun providing consultation work at Sheppard Pratt's Hannah More School in Reisterstown, MD. The school has a great supply of drums and percussion and a full time therapist who is passionate about incorporating music-making into her sessions, but lacks experience. I've been having a great time helping her and the students explore the therapeutic benefits of drumming.

Until next time, I hope you have a joyful and healthy holiday!

Where I am, where I'm going.

I haven't been fulfilling my goal of posting here weekly. Just as habits are hard to break, they too are hard to form—sometimes, I suppose.

I have been busy though. Studying this 600+ page book:

On Thursday, I will take the National Counselor Exam, one of the final two steps to becoming a licensed counselor in Maryland. A state law exam follows.

With this credential (LGPC), I will continue my path to eventually providing mental health counseling services independently (as an LCPC).

These credentials will also help legitimize the drumming work I do within the field and the community.

No one's path is completely clear.

Often times the destination changes, and even more so the roads we take have unexpected turns, detours and dead ends.

But I have my path to create.

I haven't posted a blog every week, but I have been working towards my larger goals and destinations.

And I'm okay with that.

Drumming is Universal (A Personal Photo Stream)

A suggestion for Congress...

I'm sitting in my brother's Hollywood apartment—a city bursting with diversity.

It's often easy to pay more attention to the differences between us.

Drumming helps me recognize the similarities.

When we connect through making music, we are connecting through our humanity.

Senior Home in Baltimore County

Community festival in South Baltimore

I shared a Beatwell Playshop a couple mornings ago with two very diverse populations:

16 seniors and 16 kindergarteners.

The seniors became kids again.

For this week's post, I want to share pictures from my drumming journey showing that music-making is truly universal. Enjoy!

Preschoolers in West Baltimore

HealthRHYTHMS training in Ft. Lauderdale

Adult Mental Health Program

Drum Festival in Greenbelt, MD

Autism Residency and E-Book Announcement!

I took this picture minutes before my 18th and final Beatwell Playshop at The Auburn School in Lutherville, MD.

For nine weeks, I created and shared two weekly programs for the 26 students—one for elementary and one for the middle schoolers.

Although an Autism Spectrum diagnosis is not necessary for admittance, most of the students would meet criteria and be considered "high functioning."

This residency has been a creative high-point in my career. I have already been contacted by similar schools for consultation services!

I'm excited to announce that I plan to summarize this residency in an e-book that I will put up for free download. I will share tips for lesson planning and facilitating for this unique population. I will also go into detail about each of the nine programs and offer suggestions to help therapists and educators integrate the lessons and activities into their own work.

Baltimore STYLE Magazine!

The November issue of Baltimore STYLE Magazine has a feature on me and Beatwell!

You can preview the article HERE, pick up a copy at local retailers, or sign up for a free, 3 year subscription! (Drum puns included.)

The photo was from a Beatwell Playshop I shared at Record & Tape Traders in Towson, MD.

Check out the video recap from that day below:

Note: The article claims that I am a "certified" HealthRHYTHMS facilitator. A certification does not currently exist. I am a "trained HealthRHYTHMS facilitator."

Greenbelt Rhythm & Drum Festival

On Saturday I was invited to share a drum circle at the first annual Greenbelt Rhythm and Drum Festival.

The facilitation felt effortless and I will never forget the energy I received from the group.

I often use the word "magic" to describe group music-making.

This was magic.

This was my first time sharing with drummers and facilitators who have been doing this far longer than me. The warmth they shared was both validating and encouraging. I'm lucky to be a part of such a thriving and collaborative rhythm community!

I have video footage from the event which I will soon edit and share.

An Education in Beatwell with Baltimore Lab

Thinking back on your childhood, which communities had the biggest impact on you? 

Your family of course, and maybe a group of friends or a sports team. 

I can also bet that your school community had a profound influence on your life.

Beatwell Playshop at Baltimore Lab School // October 9, 2013

When I share a Beatwell Playshop with an entire school, my focus is on the community.

To drum with just the students would be incomplete.

At Baltimore Lab, a school for children who learn differently, I made music with the students and faculty in unison. During the last 15 minutes of each assembly, their principal joined us on the largest drum. A fitting metaphor for the school's "leader."

My main message: Every community is made up of individuals with a unique voice and personal strengths (like the different instruments in the drum circle). When each person contributes towards the betterment of the group (the song being created), the school community will be most successful.

Baltimore Lab is an exceptional school community. 

I felt it in the music.