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Mission Statement
Driven by a desire to expand access to the healing power of music, Octopus RhythmWorks offers drumming programs within the community, with a special focus on serving vulnerable populations.
Research has shown that active involvement with music and drumming provides neurological benefits and helps reactivate memories not accessed in routine social interactions. Drumming also provides a wide range of positive health benefits, including decreased anxiety and depression, accelerated physical healing, control of chronic pain, improved motor and memory skill, a boosted immune system, a sense of connection to self and others, and overall health improvements in mind, body, and spirit.
Octopus RhythmWorks offers drumming programs within the community, with a special focus on serving vulnerable populations, such as seniors, memory care residents, individuals impacted by Parkinson's, kids, at-risk populations and clients with specialized learning needs.
Octopus RhythmWorks’ RhythmHealing program uses drumming and rhythm exercises as a means of self-regulation and -expression, all while reaping the natural health benefits drumming provides. Participants are invited to “drum out” emotions on hand drums, percussion, or on yoga balls in fun rhythmic patterns to music they know and love and to reactivate memories.
RhythmHealing is a mind, body, and spirit workout.
We are trained facilitators in healthRHYTHMS®, an evidence-based whole person strategy that promotes socialization and ensures a healthy, non-strenuous workout. Research shows that recreational music-making can be of particular benefit to long-term care residents, as it offers opportunities for creativity and bonding and generates effects more favorable than anti-depressants or mood-stabilizing drugs.
Octopus RhythmWorks provides all equipment. We clean drums, percussion, and yoga balls thoroughly between sessions.
No prior experience is needed! Everyone is a drummer!
Claudia Paige - Executive Director
Lisa Williams - President
Kim Dunn - Vice President
Meredith Anderson - Treasurer
Merrill Levine - Secretary
Board Members
Claudia Paige, Executive Director
and founder of Octopus RhythmWorks is a professional drummer, educator and a certified holistic health practitioner with decades of experience in the music industry.
She is also a facilitator trained in healthRHYTHMS®, an evidence-based program where drums are used as tools for communication and personal expression. HealthRHYTHMS® programs have been integrated as a therapeutic strategy in group counseling sessions, support groups, rehabilitation centers, schools, hospitals, aging facilities and more -- all exactly the kinds of communities where Claudia most enjoys working.
Having in the past taught at music programs for at-risk kids and Special Olympics athletes, Claudia has learned to use colors, sounds, and imagery to make rhythmic patterns more understandable and accessible. This same desire to expand the reach of music has also led her to create RhythmHealing, a drumming fitness program that helps seniors drum out emotions on drums and percussion or yoga balls and move their bodies to a variety of music. To know more about Claudia Paige, go to her website at
Lisa Williams, President and co-founder of Octopus RhythmWorks is a licensed clinical social worker with over two decades of field and classroom experience. Lisa is also an adoptive parent and has worked extensively with kids in the juvenile justice and foster care systems. She uses a variety of clinical methodologies to help her clients find their way to better self-expression and healthier attachment patterns and believes strongly in the therapeutic power of music. Lisa has background in grant writing and curriculum design and often provides consultation for Octopus RhythmWorks programs
Kim Dunn, Vice President and a Gerontologist with years of working within the community to help seniors and others with cognitive impairments live their best life.
Meredith Anderson, Treasurer, is a guitarist and songwriter who began performing in all-female bands in her late teens. As well as having a life-long love of music, she has a life-long fascination with health and healing. Meredith has spent much of her professional career working as a biostatistician in public health research. She has contributed to many environmental health research studies, and is currently part of a team that conducts epidemiological studies about autism. In addition, she is a certified Alexander Technique teacher, and enjoys learning about energy medicine.
Merrill Levine, Secretary, Merrill Levine has a varied background in community service and volunteering, including 8 years of Board of Directors experience with local nonprofit Oregon Supported Living Program and 30+ years coordinating volunteer systems with the Oregon Country Fair. Early on, Merrill studied Community Service and Public Affairs, later receiving Masters degrees in Speech Pathology/Audiology and Special Education as well as endorsements in Sign Language Interpreting, Parent Consultation, and School Administration. She has spent much of her career in Education but returned ultimately to her first love of public service and currently does social service work in the community.