VANESSA CONTOPULOS
CALIFORNIA, USA
Sponsored by: Rotary Club of Temecula, District 5330, California, USA
Country of Citizenship: USA
Language proficiency: English, Spanish
Undergraduate degree: University of Redlands; Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Music
Background
Vanessa Contopulos is from Southern California and attended the University of Redlands where studied Psychology and Music. She completed her board certification as a music therapist and has worked as a therapist in a variety of settings with a wide range of different populations.
Some of her therapeutic experience includes working on memory and transition with hospice patients, using music to facilitate communication and elicit language with autistic children, collaborating with physical therapists to encourage movement for children with cerebral palsy, facilitating song writing and expressive activities for victims of sexual violence, and creating music education programs to support and promote indigenous culture.
Vanessa has had the humbling experience of working alongside counselors in a child soldier rehabilitation center in northern Uganda over the past 4 years. Along with two of her colleagues, she created a music therapy training manual and has worked to create an exchange of therapeutic ideas and techniques with counselors in Uganda. Vanessa’s interests include writing music, playing the guitar and piano and singing, reading, hiking, yoga, and dancing.
She is an MA student in Conflict Resolution and is so honored to be a Rotary Peace Fellow.