Do you ever feel like you can't handle one more thing? Like you've finally
reached your breaking point?
That's what happened to Linda Pollack when her mom passed away, her dad got sick - and she found herself
caring for him and her own family and working full time.
Soon, the 47-year-old Allentown, Pennsylvania, teacher found herself snapping at her family and having
stress headaches in the classroom.
"I feel like I'm about to explode," she told her husband, Charles.
"You need to decompress," he sympathized.
So, Linda tried yoga, Pilates, mediation...but nothing helped.
Then a friend told her about a drumming class she'd read about. "The article said drumming increases
alpha waves in the brain, which induce a feeling of well-being and make us feel less stressed-out," she said. "Interested?"
"The way I've been feeling, banging on something would feel great!" Linda agreed.
She drummed her stress away!
So Linda and her friend signed up for a one-hour session guided by Maureen "Mo" Jerant, founder of the
Stressbuster Drum Circle.
What a racket! Linda thought as everyone warmed up. But then, Mo divided the class into
groups and taught them a simple rhythm.
Linda was completely absorbed in keeping up as Mo led the class - first tapping out the rhythm slowly
and softly, then building until the whole class was drumming louder and faster. And by the end of the class..."That
was fabulous!" Linda raved. For the first time in months, she felt refreshed.
After a few classes, Linda got her own drum so she could head to the basement for a little "drum therapy"
whenever she felt the stress building. Today, just drumming twice a week keeps Linda's stress levels low. "I'll
always have some stress," Linda says. "But as long as I can pound on my drum, I can handle anything!"
- Deborah Bebb
reprinted with permission from Woman's World magazine.
