ART: The Trauma Therapy That Works in Weeks, Not Years
Sometimes talk therapy can feel slow, like circling the edges of a painful experience without quite touching its core. For many of my clients, trauma isn’t just a story from the past — it lives in the body, shaping relationships, emotions, and reactions in the present.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) offers a different kind of pathway. It’s gentle, focused, and often surprisingly fast. Using calming eye movements and guided visualization, ART helps the brain reprocess distressing experiences and emotional blocks in a way that doesn’t require you to rehash every painful detail.
What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
ART is an evidence-based therapy that leverages the brain’s natural ability to heal through a process called memory reconsolidation. During a session, I’ll guide you through a structured process that typically involves eye movements, which are usually done with eyes open. These movements activate the brain in a way similar to REM sleep, allowing it to safely reprocess difficult experiences while keeping your nervous system regulated. If needed, we can adapt this step for your comfort—such as doing the movements with your eyes closed or using tappers.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, ART doesn’t require you to explain the event in depth or relive it in detail. Instead, you’ll use imagery and visualization to transform how the brain stores the memory. The memory remains, but the distress attached to it is resolved. Many people experience noticeable relief within just one to three sessions.
If you’d like to read more about ART or explore research, visit the official ART website.
What ART Can Help With
ART has been used effectively with a wide range of issues, including:
Traumatic experiences (single-event or complex trauma)
Anxiety and panic
Grief and loss
Phobias and fears
Persistent emotional triggers or stuck patterns
Shame or attachment injuries that impact relationships
For couples, I often integrate ART with one partner at a time to help clear trauma blocks or attachment wounds that affect the relationship. When one person finds relief, it often creates new space for closeness and safety together.
What to Expect in a Session
An ART session typically lasts 60–90 minutes. You’ll remain fully in control throughout the process. We’ll begin by identifying the feeling or memory you want to work on, then use eye movements and visualization to allow your brain to do the work of reprocessing. Most clients describe the experience as surprisingly calming and empowering—often leaving the session with a sense of relief or lightness.
Integrating ART into Your Healing Journey
In my practice, I weave ART alongside attachment-based, family systems, and emotionally focused work. It’s not a replacement for deeper relational exploration—it’s a complementary tool that can create rapid shifts, making space for new patterns, intimacy, and self-connection to take root.
If you’re ready to move through what’s been holding you back—gently and efficiently—ART might be a meaningful next step on your path.
Interested in exploring ART? Schedule a consultation to learn how this approach can support your healing and growth, or visit the official ART website to explore more about the method and current research.
