Integrating Music Making Interventions into Psychedelic Assisted Therapy for Substance Use Disorders
Integrating Music Making Interventions into Psychedelic Assisted Therapy for Substance Use Disorders
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Issue Date
2025-11-30
Authors
Duckett , Amy
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Abstract
Interest in the use of psychedelic assisted therapy in the treatment of substance use disorders has existed since the 1950s, and results of contemporary studies with more rigorous methodologies suggest preliminary support for the efficacy of the treatment. The use of music has become part of the standardized protocol for psychedelic assisted therapy, though the role of music appears to be limited to music listening rather than music making in these contexts. However, in traditional Indigenous settings where psychedelics have been used in healing ceremonies, reports of music making are common. This capstone collects research on the above-mentioned topics, research on the effect of music making on various aspects of wellbeing, and research on the efficacy of music therapy in the treatment of substance use disorders. In doing so, suggestions for integrating music making into the preparation, dosing, and integration phases of psychedelic assisted therapy are presented. Examples of such suggestions include singing and drumming to address dysregulation in the preparation and dosing phases. In the integration phase, suggestions for music making activities include group music making to address feelings of isolation, and songwriting to assist in meaning making processes. These findings provide preliminary support for the integration of music making interventions into psychedelic assisted therapy and could inspire further research on how to do so safely and ethically, whilst respecting and collaborating with Indigenous peoples who hold ancestral knowledge of these practices
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Keywords
psychedelic assisted therapy , substance use disorder , music therapy , music making , singing , drumming , songwriting
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess