Talented therapist joins music centre

She speaks Spanish, dances the tango and loves travelling the world with her camera. But for Rebecca Travaglia, her first love is music and she uses it to help people.

Now 27-year old Rebecca has joined Auckland-based Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre (RMTC) as one of the organisation’s four music therapists.

Rebecca qualified from the New Zealand School of Music as a Registered Music Therapist and has worked with children and young adults in the mental health sector and in special education.

Her new role involves providing music therapy to individual clients at the Centre and to groups at Oranga and Waikowhai satellite classes of Carlson School.

Rebecca plays piano and guitar and is a talented vocalist. She replaces Hee Chan Choi, who has left the Centre to go overseas.

Music therapists work with individuals and groups seeking to discover how each person relates and responds to music through engaging them in a musical dialogue.

The centre has a number of support organisations, including the Lion Foundation, Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust, NZ Community Trust, Southern Trust and United Way, and has received numerous private donations. It also holds an annual fundraising auction of music memorabilia, art, and other donated items in November.

For further information about its activities and how to support the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre, please visit www.rmtc.org.nz. Donations can also be made through the website.

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ABOUT THE RAUKATAURI MUSIC THERAPY CENTRE

The Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre (RMTC) in Auckland opened on 18 March 2004 and is New Zealand’s only music therapy centre. The centre provides music therapy for special needs children of school age and younger.

Music therapy is about building bridges of communication through music and actively engaging individuals in potential growth, development and change through the power of music. For many people, music helps reduce a sense of isolation and creates new possibilities for participation in the world and a more creative life.

Funding is always a struggle. To contribute to the cause:
· visit the centre website - www.rmtc.org.nz/donations
· contact the centre direct on 0-9-369 1839 to find out about instrument purchase donations, fundraising events and more.