How I Made Peace with My Voice (And Found a Method That Finally Worked)

For many years, I struggled with my voice.

I decided I wanted to be a singer when I was just 11. But I couldn’t start professional singing lessons until I was 16. When I finally did, I improved quite a bit—but by the time I was singing at university level, I hit a frustrating plateau. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to get past it.

And to make things harder… I’m from Argentina. We can be very direct, and in singing school, I experienced quite a bit of bullying. I started to believe I simply didn’t have any talent. That belief broke my heart.

But everything changed when I discovered something about myself that explained a lot—not just in singing, but in how I experience life.

I'm a Highly Sensitive Person

I found out I’m what’s known as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)—a trait shared by around 15% of the population. It means my nervous system is more alert than average. I pick up on subtle changes in my environment, and I react more strongly to both real and perceived threats.

Now, this trait is great for survival—my system notices danger quickly—but it’s not so great for singing.

Here’s why that matters: the primary function of your vocal cords is protection, not singing. Singing is a luxury the body allows only when it feels safe. When you're in "alert mode," your vocal system doesn't want to perform; it wants to brace and protect. So if you're stressed, anxious, or insecure (and especially if you’re highly sensitive like me), your voice won’t cooperate.

Singing from Safety vs Singing from Stress

When you try to sing from a place of stress or insecurity, your vocal folds resist. They don’t open and close freely. The sound gets tight, breathy, or strained.

Now, some people can “push through” this. But that doesn’t mean it’s healthy—or sustainable. Over time, forcing the voice leads to vocal deterioration, limited range, and frustration.

Back in music school, the methods I was taught were very mechanical. Things like: “Open your mouth like this, imitate this sound, do this exercise.” It didn’t work for me. I felt disconnected from my voice, and even more stressed in that environment.

Imagine: I had come from a quiet rural area to the chaos of Buenos Aires, where the subways are packed and the energy is intense. I was living in a high-stress environment, and the methods I was given ignored that completely. They didn’t take my nervous system into account.

And then—everything changed.

I Found a Method That Spoke to My Nervous System

The turning point came when I discovered the Rabine Method for Functional Voice Training. It’s a vocal method that starts with the nervous system, not just the mechanics of sound.

The Rabine Method connects brain, breath, body, and voice in a way that signals safety to the brain. When your system feels safe (even subconsciously), your voice shifts into singing mode—and that's where true, sustainable vocal progress begins.

It was such a revelation.

Suddenly, my voice opened up. My progress was no longer slow and frustrating—I started improving quickly, and I enjoyed the process again. I felt connected to my voice instead of at war with it.

Finding What Works For You

Of course, there are many vocal methods out there. And some of them love to criticize each other. But here’s what I believe:

👉 The best vocal method is the one that works for you.

If something isn’t working, don’t force it. Try something else. Come back later if needed. Once I had learned how to get my body into singing mode, I could revisit other methods I’d tried before, and they suddenly worked much better. Because now my voice was ready.

So I Created My Own Method

Eventually, I decided to create a method of my own—one that combines:

• Functional voice training

• Functional movement

• Contemporary vocal techniques

I designed this for contemporary singers who want vocal freedom, range, and agility—without sacrificing vocal health.

It’s a 10-week 1:1 coaching program where we work together to unlock your true voice using tools that respect your nervous system, your body, and your artistry. If this sounds like what you've been looking for, you can apply HERE.