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A Music Therapist's Portrait: Christine Stevens, MSW, MA, MT-BC

A Music Therapist's Portrait: Christine Stevens, MSW, MA, MT-BC

Christine Stevens with the Hokema Sansula

A Portrait: Christine Stevens, Music Therapist, Author, Speaker
Interview by: Annalena Horl 
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Christine, when did music interest you and when did you start drumming?

First of all, I thought I had no sense of rhythm at all. I almost failed the percussion class at college. But then a drum circle changed my life. I learned to play congas and improvise freely.

How would you describe your personal philosophy regarding drums and their magic?

For me, drums are a portal to musical expression. Their simple handling, their spiritual depth and historical significance, as well as scientifically proven evidence of their healing effects, make them an instrument of transformation, healing, prayer and fun.

When did you get to know the Kalimba Sansula?

That was during a national conference for music therapists. I tried them out and bought two of them.

How do you use the Sansula and what are the possibilities of using the instrument? What effect does the Sansula have on your students and listeners?

I use the Sansula in my healing drum groups, in which we practice the healing rhythm with every participant. These can be seniors, cancer patients or even companies. The sound of the Sansula is always calming and mystical.

 

 Do you think the Sansula could be considered a “serious” instrument?

Of course!

Christine Stevens with the Hokema Sansula

About Christine Stevens, MSW, MA, MT-BC

It is said that Christine Stevens does not just teach drumming, but that her hours are a mixture of magic, fun and holistic healing processes. Christine Stevens holds master degrees in two areas: social work and music therapy. She works with people from all over the world in the form of drum and percussion circles and introduces the magical world of rhythm. She is the founder of UpBeat Drum Circles and has often been a guest on TV shows with renowned US channels such as NBC, PBS and KTLA. In addition, she worked as a speaker on the DVD project "Discover the Gift" and wrote "Music Medicine", "The Healing Drum Kit" and "The Art and Heart of Drum Circles". In her career, she taught and coached trainers from more than twenty-five countries in the HealthRythm program, in the evidence-based REMO group. Christine has worked with many Fortune 500 companies, but also with survivors of Hurricane Katrina, students at Ground Zero, and recently led her first percussion group in a war zone in northern Iraq.

Learn More about Christine at: UpBeat Drum Circles

Christine currently offers a course on the Shift Network: The Flute as Sound Medicine.

  • Open your heart and expand your world through the transformative power of the flute
  • Join us in a musical prayer and ceremony for peace, transformation & awakening
  • Discover the flute as a tool for mindfulness, inner peace & heart-guided ways of being
  • Discover how the flute can help you move through grief, fear, and pain
  • Discover the flute as a gateway to healing, mindfulness & personal transformation
  • Discover how the healing power of the flute can help you navigate difficult times
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