Occupation: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist | Drummer | Author | 21CD Contributor 

 

Website: www.JimAndersonMFT.com &  www.RhythmMeditations.com 

 

Facebook: @ RhythmMeditations.com

 

Blogspot: http://rhythmmeditations.blogspot.com

 

1. What Drew You Towards The Art of Drumming?

 

My Dad died when I was 4 days old. My first 10 years of life were filled with a lot of pain, anxiety, and depression. My mom told me that at age two, I would sit in the corner spinning records for hours. In my elementary years, I had all the Beatles Albums and would play to them on model boxes with pencils. As a composer, writing music has always been my path to open up creativity and gain access into a much more

desirable world; a world based in rhythm and groove! Music has the power to change lives -

Drumming is the icing on the cake!

 

2. What Three Traits Define You?

 

For years my slogan has always been It’s got to be fun! Unfortunately, life is not always fun - but we always get the choice to choose how we see it. This is what I call your personal frame of reference. What drives subjective perception? I would have to say Insight and Awareness - so they are my other go-to traits. If I could add one more concept, I have always said, It has to be helpful, and it has to be useful!

 

3. How Do You Define Success?

 

It’s up to each of us to design our own lives! When we each align to our own unique vision, life begins to expand. What will your next creative vision be about? That’s the beauty in life - you get to decide! For me, success is all about giving. As a Therapist, I feel the absolute best when I am helping others feel better in life! We all want to feel great. This is where the experience of drumming and therapy merge to give people an

instant state change! This creative space is also where I have the most power as a helping

professional to access the unconscious mind and help people (and especially kids) change the

quality of their lives.

 

4. How Does Health Play A Role In Your Success? 

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, my goal has always been to strive for the highest level of mental health. Rhythm, meditation, healthy nutrition, plenty of sleep and a drug-free life are my go-to skills to keep myself sane in today’s world. As a professional drummer, you have to be in great shape to play 45 minutes sets of KROQ music all night! Drumming and Therapy have played a vital part in both my physical and mental health.

 

5. What Do You Want To Be Remembered For?

 

I have a past history in the musical instrument business as the inventor and founder of Factory Metal Percussion. However, the thing that intrigues me even more than creating instruments - is the profound effect that utilizing music, drumming and songwriting has had on my clients. Now, I am working to put together a new program called RhythmShifting - that takes the best of music and drumming and combines them with therapy, meditation, trance, and personal development. I think the future is wide open for drumming to continue to help anxious, depressed, angry people connect a new groove thru rhythm and music!

 

6. If You Had One Message To Give To Others, What Would It Be? 

 

I would have to say if you are struggling with negative thinking or feeling depressed - there is more out there! For me, drumming has been instrumental in my own mental health. Rhythm is my drug of choice! Music is vibrational in nature - just like we are physiologically at the quantum level. Move-in the music and release the rest of the noise. Find space and comfort! Think economy of motion and release that which is no longer serving you! Sit down, turn off your mind and remember to play your drums mindlessly for at least 20 minutes a day. You’ll be glad you did!