Soundtrack for Psychedelic Healing: New Album ‘Music for Ketamine’ by Psychotherapist & Composer

Inside a clinical setting, a trained Marriage and Family Therapist switches on purpose-built music for a ketamine-assisted psychotherapy session. This isn’t gentle background noise to mask conversation – the 13-track arc was composed specifically to guide patients through the precise neurochemical windows when ketamine creates therapeutic breakthroughs.

David Franklin’s new album ‘Music for Ketamine’ represents a clinically-minded approach to psychedelic healing. Where generic spa playlists fall short in KAP sessions, Franklin applies 25 years of therapeutic experience alongside UC Berkeley’s psychedelic facilitation training to engineer soundtracks for maximum therapeutic impact.

Why High Performers Choose KAP

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy has gained traction among professionals seeking breakthrough mental health results without the multi-year commitment of traditional talk therapy. Clinical studies show a 47-55% response rate in treatment-resistant depression, with significant symptom reduction lasting weeks to months after just eight to ten sessions.

Franklin brings three decades at the intersection of music and therapy to this precision approach. His compositions blend handpan, harmonium, bowed psaltery and toy piano – instrument choices that reflect structured therapeutic intent rather than ambient mood-setting.

Engineering Music for Clinical Results

Franklin’s album follows the ketamine experience arc from gentle entry points through peak consciousness shifts to reflective integration. Track titles like ‘When Silence Learns to Speak’ and ‘Everything and Nothing’ mirror the structured phases where breakthrough insights typically occur.

The album’s clinical relevance extends beyond theory. Franklin’s previous work has been implemented in MAPS MDMA Phase Two research studies and UC Berkeley’s Drugs and the Mind course, where structured soundtracks support therapeutic protocols rather than simply creating atmosphere.

Pre-made spa playlists miss the mark for KAP in clinical settings. Peer-reviewed research emphasises how structured soundtracks align with ketamine’s psychoactive phases, enhancing emotional processing and reducing patient distress during sessions.

Clinical vs Background Music

The distinction between clinical music therapy and background playlists becomes crucial in psychedelic settings. A randomised clinical trial investigating music’s impact on ketamine’s physiological effects found that structured soundtracks may modulate ketamine’s hemodynamic responses, potentially enhancing both physiological and psychological outcomes.

Franklin’s approach reflects this clinical understanding. His compositions incorporate ‘found sounds’, unorthodox tunings and emotional improvisation designed to support the therapeutic process rather than mask it. The album’s 13 tracks span from the opening ‘When Silence Learns to Speak’ at 6:12 to the closing ‘Song for Living’ at 6:09, providing practitioners with a complete session framework.

His clinical credentials strengthen this music’s therapeutic application. As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist trained in KAP and a graduate of UC Berkeley’s Psychedelic Facilitation Program, Franklin brings both therapeutic understanding and musical expertise to soundtrack design.

Proven Clinical Applications

The album’s tracks range from brief interludes like ‘Sylver’s Theme’ at 2:25 to extended journeys such as ‘The Foggiest Idea’ at 6:30, allowing clinicians to match music duration with individual session needs. Franklin already performs live music at group ceremonies and retreats across the West Coast, demonstrating real-world therapeutic application.

His musical background spans 50 years of composition and performance, including collaborations with Windham Hill’s Michael Manring and Top Ten placements on ZMR Charts. This extensive musical foundation supports his transition from general therapeutic soundscapes to the precision required for KAP sessions.

‘Music for Ketamine’ releases today across all major streaming platforms and Bandcamp. The album provides clinicians with a complete therapeutic soundtrack, removing the guesswork from session music selection whilst maintaining the structured approach that research indicates enhances ketamine’s therapeutic effects.

Please follow the advice of your own therapist and healthcare professionals before taking any drug.