Rhythmic exercises, such as drumming are central to the clinical application of our growing understanding of neurobiology; in particular the impact of dysregulation of primal brain function due to trauma or neglect. Both the brainstem and diencephalon or midbrain region are strongly affected by rhythms as they organize in the womb and during the first years of life. Somatosensory interventions that provide patterned, repetitive, neural input into the brainstem and diencephalon monoamine neural networks, assist with the realignment of homeostatic systems and help reduce anxiety, impulsivity and other trauma related symptoms.