Music is considered integral to meaningful emotional and imagery experiences during psychedelic therapy, according to a rapid review of 10 studies involving 180 participants aged 18–69. Music in this context can convey love, carry listeners to other realms, be something to “hold,” inspire, and elicit a deep sense of embodied transformation. Its therapeutic influence is especially evident in dichotomous elicitations: music can simultaneously anchor and propel. Participant openness to music and participant-centered music selection are associated with optimal immediate and longer-term outcomes. Many studies reported scarce details about the music used and incidental findings of music experienced.
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy appears safe and may provide lasting relief from depression and anxiety for people facing a life-threatening illness.
Music in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is not merely a predictable amplifier of the experience but undergoes a profound transformation for participants. In a trial of PAP at end of life, participants described music as becoming internally generated, multisensory, deeply personal experiences that arrive fully formed and are instantly known. Some of these experiences become actors that collaborate with the participant and therapist in ongoing psychotherapy. This contrasts sharply with the everyday properties of music reported by the placebo group. The findings suggest that music should not be viewed as something simply administered, with major implications for PAP practice and research.