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.
Terminally ill people with extreme death anxiety can feel displaced from their own lives, afraid and alone in an all-encompassing present. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) can enable them to fully inhabit their life in a more abundant and joyful present, even in the face of death. The psilocybin component is necessary but not sufficient for this outcome. These findings expand the conceptualization of death anxiety and the personal transformation that constitutes successful PAP.
Health care workers hold polarized views on psychedelic-assisted therapy for patients with serious illness, with attitudes often shaped by limited research knowledge and heuristics. Most perceive potential benefits for treating refractory psychological distress, desire education about the therapy, and call for a stronger evidence base to support implementation. Barriers to integration into existing care models were identified, and a team-based approach with clinical education was seen as essential. The systematic review of nine studies (seven qualitative, two quantitative) from four countries developed five themes reflecting these findings.