ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy)
What is ART?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is a form of psychotherapy with roots in existing evidence based forms of therapies. ART utilizes back and forth eye movements during therapy which are found to have a calming and relaxing effect on the client. These eye movents are combined with a technique called Voluntary Memory/ Image Replacement that work to reprogram the way in which distressing images and memories are stored in the brain so that they no longer trigger strong physical and emotional reactions in your body. ART is not hypnosis and clients do not lose the knowledge of what has occurred but their memories lose the negative impact.
How was ART developed?
ART was developed in 2008 by Laney Rosenzweig, a marriage and family therapist who was also trained in the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Through her training and practice using EMDR, Ms. Rosenzweig discovered rapid eye movement was beneficial in treatment but determined that modifying it could enhance the process. She went on to create a set of standardized and directive guidelines, based on a number of different therapy frameworks, and established ART as a treatment method.
In 2015 , the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) officially recognized ART as an evidence -based practice, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) named ART an effective psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress (PTSD), depression and personal resilience. ART was also classified as a promising therapy for symptoms of phobia, panic, anxiety, sleep and wake disorders, disruptive and antisocial behaviors, general functioning and well-being.
Do you offer this therapy?
We currently provide ART for issues of:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Depression
Grief
Phobias
Anxiety
How does ART work?
There are 3 phases of treatment with ART
Phase 1: Individual sessions focused on assessment with an ART Therapist who will gain an understanding and history of the client’s problem that they would like to work on as well as the symptoms associated with this problem. Clients complete screening tools as part of this process. This can take between 1 and 3 sessions.
Phase 2: Once clients are ready to begin, treatment is started using the ART Protocol which includes back and forth eye movements and Voluntary Image Replacement. Clients are always in control of the entire ART session, with the therapist guiding the process. Although some traumatic experiences can be very painful to think about or visualize, the therapy rapidly moves clients beyond the place where they are stuck in these experiences toward growth and positive changes. The end result is that traumas and difficult life experiences will no longer trigger strong emotions or physical reactions within the client. It is important to note that clients do not have talk about their traumas or difficult life experiences with the therapist to achieve recovery during this phase of treatment. This Phase of treatment is usually between 1 and 5 sessions depending on the severity and complexity of the clients concerns.
Phase 3: Follow up Appointments which allow an opportunity for clients and therapist to note what changes have occurred and what if any additional areas need to be processed using ART.
References and links for additional Information:
Professional Websites with information on this approach and training:
https://acceleratedresolutiontherapy.com/
https://artherapyinternational.org/
An Informative Video by the Creator of Accelerated Resolution therapy, Laney Rosenweig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP7dx03arxI
Another informative Video by a thearpist practicing ART
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXhOts-IjxI
