Ray Watters

Ray is a qualified person centred counsellor, drummer, drum circle facilitator, trainer, presenter and part time writer and photographer. He has been in love with drumming from a very young age, his father having been leading drummer in a grade 2 Scottish Pipe Band. Therefore exposed to drumming and bagpipes from a very young age. He graduated to ‘Kit’ drumming playing in a couple of bands and was then fortunate enough to spend 4 years in Africa and was introduced to Djembe playing.

He attended his first VMC training in 2008 and there met Arthur Hull and was introduced to drum circle facilitation. After a career in government he quit and founded DRUMWITHUS and has been running community drum circles and events ever since. Ray specialises in the fields of mental health, schools, people with additional needs and teenagers with behavioural difficulties. He has been part of the Core Team presenting the VMC UK Playshop 3 Day and 6 Day Facilitator Training since 2017 and has also helped teach on the Italian and German 6 Day facilitators training.

Ray is also a Rhythm 2 Recovery trainer in the UK and Europe, having trained people in Spain, Italy, Germany, Ireland and as far away as Australia and Tasmania. He was also invited to contribute a chapter to the book ‘ Drum Circles for Specific Populations ‘ ( Edited by Simon Faulkner ) and did so on ‘Working with Neurodiverse Communities.’ He is also a qualified HealthRhythms Facilitator and a long standing member of the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild.

Ray remains passionate about teaching, presenting, inclusion and building community through the use of  drums and drum circles, firmly believing that building connection and creating positive relationships are the foundation of every society.