Music therapy improvisation in the integration of psychedelic therapy experiences

Psychedelic therapy combines psychedelic substances with psychotherapy to treat conditions like depression and substance use disorders. Music is typically used as pre-recorded playlists during sessions. This project explores using music therapy improvisation during the drug-free integration phase, where patients apply insights from sessions to daily life. The author reviewed literature on psychedelic therapy, music, integration, and improvisation, synthesized knowledge through visual and musical art, and created a preliminary framework for incorporating music therapy improvisation into psychedelic therapy integration.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Psychedelic therapy is a research-based attempt to combine the use of psychedelic substances with psychotherapy in order to support a client towards therapeutic goals. Literature from the mid-twentieth century as well as more recent scholarship provides strong evidence of psychedelic therapy's ability to safely, rapidly, and effectively treat conditions including depressive disorders and substance use disorders. Music has long been a key feature of psychedelic therapy, with literature largely focusing on clients receptively listening to pre-recorded playlists during the psychedelic session itself. This project is a preliminary inquiry into the potential for music therapy improvisation to be used in the integration phase of psychedelic therapy, drug-free work after psychedelic sessions during which a patient distills and applies insights gained from the session to their daily life in order to achieve personal, therapeutic growth and change. This author reviewed literature on psychedelic therapy, psychedelic therapy and music, psychedelic therapy integration, and music therapy improvisation; creatively synthesized this knowledge through visual and musical artistic exploration; and created a preliminary framework for using music therapy improvisation in the integration of psychedelic therapy experiences.