Elizabeth Mackney, BN MMusThy, RN RMT NMT. Registered NDIS Provider, Registered Nurse, Registered Music Therapist, Neurologic Music Therapist, Cardiac Rehabilitation Facilitator, Rhythm2Recovery Facilitator, Talkabout Social Skills Assessor, 8^th Grade Piano, 5^th Grade Cello, 5^th Grade Theory of Music (Honours) & Basic Key Word Sign (KWS)

Liz is the owner and founder of Lismore Music Therapy (sole trader), and co-founder of the regional “Buskability” and “Camp Caba” initiatives.

Liz has been providing specialised music therapy services to people living with disabilities in the Northern Rivers NSW since 2013. Liz is committed to collaborating with large and small community organisations, businesses and other sole providers to develop innovative pathways to meaningful, rewarding, sustainable and expanding social, community and economic participation for NDIS participants living in the NSW Northern Rivers region and beyond. Liz and the team with whom she collaborates (those included on this website) consider that the expressive therapies have a critical role to play in leading the way to realising the social change intended by the NDIS.

Liz has national and international industry experience in the health and disability sectors, as well as unique and specialised training and experience in setting up, co-ordinating and delivering large-scale multi-disciplinary programs in metropolitan and rural hospitals and community contexts. Liz serves on the Australian Music Therapy Association’s (AMTA’s) NDIS Committee and offers clinical supervision to Masters students from the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, as well as other health professions. Liz’s Masters thesis studied the benefits of combining the roles and skills of a music therapist and a registered nurse to offer a unique and specialised holistic service to rehabilitation patients in a rural hospital. It was the first research of its kind in Australia, and Liz received a Lion’s Nursing Scholarship to undertake the research.

Catherine Forder
Speech Pathology @ The Frog House
MHealth Sciences (Speech-Language Pathology), BAppSc (Speech Pathology), Member of Speech Pathology Association of Australia.

Catherine started her career as a Speech Pathologist almost 30 years ago as a sole therapist at a very small hospital on the South Coast of NSW

Since then, Catherine has worked with people of all ages in community health settings; schools; preschools and early childhood settings; and private practice on the NSW South Coast; Southeast NSW (Queanbeyan, Bungendore and Braidwood); before settling in the Lismore area 19 years ago with her son and dogs. 

Catherine has a special interest in working with children and young people with ADHD and language-learning difficulties; and supporting children and young people who experience challenges with social communication skills and interacting with the world around them. Catherine believes that everyone has something important and interesting to say; and that it is always empowering and exciting to help people find their ‘voice’ and connect with others. 

Combining Speech Pathology and Music Therapy services helps create an engaging and non-threatening context for intervention, especially for children who do not communicate verbally; children who have specific challenges with social communication; and those who feel anxious in therapy settings. 

Catherine loves working in a team setting to help children and families achieve their goals. Catherine also enjoys being able to bring some of her ‘other’ skills (20+ years of Middle Eastern Dance and drumming) to therapy sessions from time to time. 

Meghan Thamm, GDipMusThy BMus AMusA (French Horn), RMT NMT. Registered NDIS Provider, Registered Music Therapist, Neurologic Music Therapist, Rhythm2Recovery Facilitator, Drumbeat Facilitator, Talkabout Social Skills Assessor, 8^th Grade Piano, & Basic Key Word Sign (KWS). Lismore Music Therapy collaborator

Meghan has a lifelong passion for facilitating music and other creative experiences with and for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Meghan has always enjoyed participating in school and community choirs, musicals, orchestras (including national and international youth orchestras), and instrumental ensembles and has conducted children’s choirs. Meghan’s career as a Registered Music Therapist has taken her from South East Queensland to Darwin and now to the beautiful Northern Rivers where she enjoys life with her husband, two children and pet Labrador.

Meghan has worked as a music therapist with people of all ages and abilities in a wide range of settings such as early intervention, schools, disability, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, mental health, palliative care, and aged care, and was the first Senior Creative Arts Worker at the Darwin Hospice. Meghan is passionate about contributing to the community, making the arts accessible to everyone, and to supporting people to express themselves and their stories through creative arts experiences. 

Melita Gapes, Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Teaching – Early Childhood Major

Founder and owner of Horses, Hands and Hearts Company, co-founder of “Camp Caba”, and Lismore Music Therapy collaborator.

Melita is a Mother, Wife, and Primary Teacher of 26 years.  Her Horses, Hands and Hearts Company offers an Equine Learning Facilitated program for individuals and groups.  While Melita has loved being a teacher for many years and seeing children grow and develop into healthy social, emotional, and active humans, she has come to realise that she has something unique to offer children whose needs cannot always be met in the classroom. Melita has always known and felt the healing attributes of horses. She considers the simplicity they bring to life a must for all.  In response to this calling Melita is currently studying through the Equine Psychotherapy Institute, Victoria, to complete her Equine Learning Facilitator Certificate in May 2022.  She is also studying Equine Sports Massage, through Equestricare, WA to be completed by the end of 2022. Where possible, Melita seeks to attend as many horsemanship clinics as possible to continue her education regarding horses and their welfare, as well as to advance her understanding of what they can offer humans. Currently, and for the last two years, Melita has served as the Secretary of Kyogle Pony Club.