Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Keep the knowledge, lose the pain
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is a relatively new, evidence-based form of psychotherapy developed by Laney Rosenzweig in 2008. ART is designed to help clients quickly resolve the emotional and physical sensations associated with trauma and other painful life experiences. Drawing from elements of traditional talk therapy, guided imagery, and eye movement techniques, ART enables people to process and reframe troubling memories in a way that reduces their emotional impact. Although inspired by methods like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), ART is distinct in its structured, directive, and often faster approach.
The central technique in ART involves the client recalling distressing memories while simultaneously performing sets of rapid eye movements guided by the therapist. This process appears to facilitate changes in how the brain stores traumatic memories, allowing clients to detach intense emotional responses from the events they recall. In ART, clients are also guided to "replace" upsetting images with new, more positive visualizations, a process called Voluntary Image Replacement (VIR). This reframing helps not only to lessen symptoms but often to create lasting changes in how individuals perceive past events.
One of ART's notable strengths is its efficiency. Many clients report significant relief from symptoms such as anxiety, depression, phobias, grief, and PTSD within just one to five sessions. Because ART focuses on minimizing verbal disclosure, clients are not required to talk in detail about their traumas if they do not wish to, making it a particularly accessible option for those who find recounting painful memories retraumatizing. The therapy is structured yet flexible, enabling it to be adapted to a wide range of emotional and psychological issues.