Music for Each Phase of a Spravato Session
There isn't one singular experience for a Spravato® session. It is a process that is divided into various phases. Each phase has its own type of consciousness, texture of emotion, and its own relationship with music. A playlist made for the peak will feel wrong for the start. Music that is made for the descent may be too stimulating for the integration phase.
Identifying and matching the phases with music is a simple but very helpful way to advance your sessions. Here are the phases and what music should accompany them.
Minutes 0–15
Onset
The medicine is starting to work. A lot of people experience anxiety in this time. This is the period where the person starts noticing that the medicine is working, but the mind hasn't fully accepted the shift that is occurring. This phase is where you want to use songs that have a lot of musical texture and are not too complicated in their harmony with a slow tempo to stay calm.
Music qualities
- Slow tempo (50–70 BPM) with little to no harmonic tension
- Nostalgic musical textures
- Very few if any changes in dynamics
Examples
Arvo Pärt, Max Richter
Minutes 15–50
Peak
This is the deepest part of the session. This is where the most vivid experience can be perceived, where you can see things, feel things, and understand yourself more than ever. The music at this point should be emotionally accessible but not too detailed because you don't want to put a limit on what the person will experience.
Music qualities
- Venturesome, expansive orchestral textures
- Emotional line unresolved
- No prevalent, steady pulse
- Open harmony
Examples
Sigur Rós instrumentals, Stars of the Lid, Hammock, late Debussy orchestral works
Minutes 50–75
Descent
The medicine is lessening. Experience is becoming less intense and more cognizant. Music during this time to aid the transition can be more resolved, yet still keep its instrumental nature, and be a bit warmer.
Music qualities
- More resolved, warmer harmonic palette
- Instrumental acoustic texture
- Slower pacing
Examples
Bill Evans Trio, Keith Jarrett solo piano, Windham Hill acoustic guitar
Minutes 75–120
Integration
The session is ending and integration is beginning. Some clinics provide the opportunity to be still and quietly rested. Other clinics support gentle reflection and integration. Music suggested for this time should be soft and gentle, yet should be ideal for the presence of whatever has come up.
Music qualities
- Minimal, gentle, ambient texture
- Soft dynamic range
- Nature sounds are acceptable
- Absolutely no emotional content
Examples
Brian Eno's "Music for Airports", Harold Budd, sparse ambient piano
A note on transitions
The transitions between phases are gradual. Your playlist does NOT need to change at the 15-minute mark. Think of it as a gradual, sweeping arc: grounded at the start, expansive in the middle, warm and resolved at the end.
If you use Spotify or Apple Music, a two-hour playlist with roughly 20–25 songs gives you plenty to cover a full session without any repetition. Our free curated playlists are made with that sequence in mind. free curated playlists are built with this arc in mind.
Now available
The Listening to Spravato® Book
Genre guides, session playlists, and the science of music-assisted healing — by Justin Page