Music has always been part of Val Santos’ life. But it was at an unexpected—and deeply human—moment when his artistic career found the path to music therapy.
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Invited for a simple voice and guitar show, Val arrived at the venue and discovered that the audience was made up of neurodivergent people from a Therapeutic Nucleus. Instead of just singing, he asked for a microphone, walked over and started making music with them.
It was the beginning of a collective experience that would change his career. “That’s where the Musical Experience was born,” he remembers. “I realized how music connects, includes and liberates. And I wanted to understand that deeply.”
Today, Val unites technique, sensitivity and purpose to transform lives through music therapy—from childhood to old age.
Childhood as fertile ground for music
Music therapy has a profound impact on child development, especially in the cognitive and emotional fields. Val explains that, for children, music is more than entertainment: it is a safe space to feel, experience and express themselves.
“It helps them with emotional self-regulation, reduces anxiety and strengthens self-esteem. When the child perceives that they are actively participating, that they are able to follow a rhythm or invent a melody, they feel capable.”
Cognitively, the benefits are also notable: concentration, memory, organization of thought and sequential reasoning.
He mentions the group served in the Vivencia Musical project—Mari, Dudu and David—who have an extraordinary musical memory. “I play the melody and they identify the song. That intensely stimulates the brain,” he highlights.
In the school environment, music also becomes a tool for inclusion. Making music in a group—whether with instruments, voice, or body percussion—invites respect, listening, and collective work. Diversity transforms into harmony.
Third age and the reunion with one’s own history
Among older people, especially those living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias, music acts as a kind of “time capsule.” “It accesses memories that other therapies cannot,” says Val. A song can rescue emotional memories, awaken deep emotions and even slow cognitive decline.
Music therapy also reduces anxiety, agitation and isolation—common symptoms in dementia. In the group, singing or playing generates welcome and reconnection.
The ideal repertoire is one that respects the patient’s sound history, a concept that music therapists call ISO—Sound Identity.
For many older Brazilians, songs from the 1940s to 1960s, serenades, boleros and old-school sambas serve as portals to happy times. Francisco Alves, Lupicínio Rodrigues, Orlando Silva and Pixinguinha are frequent presences in the sessions.
Music therapy as an inclusion tool
In schools, institutions or communities, music therapy helps build bridges. For people with disabilities, it stimulates communication, expression, creativity and socialization—even when verbal language is not available.
For those with physical or neurological deficiencies, music also acts as a motor and cognitive resource, supporting rehabilitation processes.
But working with such diverse groups presents challenges. Val points out age differences, communication barriers, conflicts, different musical tastes and very specific individual needs.
Even so, music opens paths: “It is what overcomes prejudice, what brings us closer, what translates emotions that do not fit into words.”
The challenges of music therapy in Brazil
Although it is an integrative practice recognized by the Ministry of Health, music therapy still struggles for greater understanding and visibility.
Val highlights three main obstacles:
1. Lack of public recognition
There is confusion between music therapist, music teacher and musician who works in health spaces. Society does not always understand that music therapy has scientific bases and is not just recreation.
2. Problems with health insurance
Despite advances by the ANS, there are still denials of coverage—especially in treatments for autistic people. Bureaucracy and private cost also make access difficult.
3. Limited insertion into the public system (SUS)
Although it appears in the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices, its presence in the SUS (Single Health System) continues to be reduced and unequal.
A message of hope
For Val Santos, music therapy is much more than a technique: it is a human encounter.
His final message is clear and moving:
“Do not abandon treatment. Investing in music therapy is investing in human beings, in their development and emotional well-being. Music welcomes everyone, without distinction. It knows no prejudices: it invites connection and self-knowledge.”
In a world full of noise, music therapy becomes that possible space: where each sound finds meaning and each person finds a place to be heard.
