Psychedelic minimalism: the case against music in psychedelic therapy settings.
Samir A Nader
Frontiers in Psychiatry August 26, 2025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1652568 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Commentary Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Silent therapy Introspection Healing journeys |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key points | Argues that therapeutic outcomes in psychedelic-assisted therapy are shaped not only by pharmacology but by set and setting, as reflected in the ReSPCT guidelines. Contends that music has assumed a privileged role as a therapeutic constant, typically curated to be emotionally supportive or evocative and especially emphasized during peak psychedelic states. |
Abstract
In recent years, renewed attention has been given to the centrality of set and setting inpsychedelic-assisted therapy. The Reporting of Setting in Psychedelic Clinical Trials (ReSPCT)guidelines reflect an evolving consensus: therapeutic outcomes are not solely pharmacologicallydetermined but are heavily shaped by both the environment and the psychological state of theparticipant (Pronovost-Morgan et al. 2025). Within this evolving paradigm, music has assumed aprivileged role, framed as a therapeutic constant, typically curated to be emotionally supportiveor evocative, and especially emphasized during peak psychedelic states (Barrett et al. 2017).
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 11
- Set and setting, psychedelics and the placebo response: An extra-pharmacological perspective on psychopharmacology Journal of Psychopharmacology November 16, 2016
- The hidden therapist: evidence for a central role of music in psychedelic therapy Psychopharmacology February 1, 2018
- Set, Setting, and Matrix Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 1, 1997
- The Use of Music in Psychedelic (LSD) Psychotherapy Journal of Music Therapy June 1, 1972
- Set and Setting: A Randomized Study of Different Musical Genres in Supporting Psychedelic Therapy ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science December 29, 2020
and 6 more in the library