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Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)

Accelerated Resolution Therapy, or ART, is a structured therapy that uses guided eye movements to help ease the distress connected to painful memories and images, often without needing to talk through every detail.

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What is ART?

Accelerated Resolution Therapy is an evidence-based approach for trauma and other distressing experiences. During a session, your therapist guides you through sets of side-to-side eye movements while you briefly bring a memory, image, or feeling to mind. The process is designed to reduce the emotional and physical distress connected to that memory.

One of the most distinctive parts of ART is that you don’t have to describe your memories out loud if you don’t want to. Many people find this a relief, especially if talking about what happened has felt too painful or exposing in the past.

What ART may help with

ART was developed with trauma and PTSD in mind. It is also used for:

  • Distressing memories that keep resurfacing
  • Anxiety, panic, and phobias
  • Grief and traumatic loss
  • Intrusive images or nightmares
  • Feelings of shame, guilt, or being “stuck”

What a session is like

ART is structured and active. In general, a session involves:

  1. Getting settled. We talk about what you want to work on and make sure you feel grounded.
  2. Guided eye movements. While following your therapist’s hand movements with your eyes, you briefly hold the memory in mind, then notice what you feel in your body.
  3. Voluntary image replacement. You are guided to imagine new, more positive images in place of the distressing ones. You remain in control throughout, and you don’t lose the facts of what happened.
  4. Checking in. We end by making sure you leave feeling steady.

ART is designed to be brief. Many people notice a change within a small number of sessions, though everyone is different. ART can also be one part of a broader plan that includes other therapy approaches.

What the research says

In a randomized controlled trial of 57 U.S. service members and veterans with combat-related PTSD, those who received ART (an average of about four sessions) showed significantly greater reductions in PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and trauma-related guilt than a comparison group, and the improvements held at a three-month follow-up.

Source: Kip KE, et al. (2013). Randomized controlled trial of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) for symptoms of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Military Medicine, 178(12), 1298–1309. Published research describes group results; individual experiences vary.

Is ART right for me?

ART isn’t the right fit for everyone, and you never have to try it. A short phone call is a good place to ask questions, and we can talk about whether ART might be helpful for what you’re facing.

You can learn more about the method from Accelerated Resolution Therapy’s official site.

ART and Accelerated Resolution Therapy are registered trademarks of the Rosenzweig Center for Rapid Recovery.

Let's start with a conversation.

A short phone call is the easiest first step. We can talk about what you are looking for, answer your questions, and see if Healing Harbor feels like the right fit.

Schedule a Phone Call Call 218-491-3303