Accelerated Resolution Therapy
What Is ART?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is an eye movement focused protocol therapeutic intervention. Eye movement therapies are evidence-based interventions to effectively treat a wide range of complex challenges, symptoms, and themes. It is particularly helpful when addressing trauma but can be used for other forms of emotional or physiological suffering. Talk therapy does not work for trauma and neurological change. It simply doesn’t. Experiential, sensation, brain-focused work is what moves the needle for clients. You may not feel “trauma” but still want to utilize eye movement therapies.
Unlike traditional forms of talk therapy, these treatments involve focusing on something you want to experience resolution around, in a series of bilateral stimulation techniques that activate the brain’s natural ability to consolidate and change neural patterns. We want you to be free of suffering, distressing images / memories / imprints, recover them and address the roots, and be free of negative sensations and symptoms.
Dual-Attention Bilateral Stimulation techniques softly access the brain’s neural-plastic nature—the innate ability to change—allowing it to reprocess difficult emotions, reconcile painful memories, and even change physical sensations associated. Change happens on a neurological, emotional, and physiological level. These interventions are perfect for people who are tired of talk therapy, want true change, are ready to go deeper, and are ready for a streamlined process. There are also clients who come into this work for a specific and possibly short-term process, and end up staying to form a long-term safe therapeutic relationship with a practitioner who can offer both intensive work and a safe long-term bond.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy Efficacy Is Well-Documented and Researched
Eye movement therapies have become widely recognized for their ability to treat a host of issues. ART has studies at the Mayo Clinic, a NIH study on grief for caregivers, with the military in Canada, is currently being researched at Yale University, and have upcoming MRI studies. There is extensive research about eye movement therapies and their efficacy for neurological change. ART is highly respected for the protocol and intuitive usage in some of the hardest and “treatment resistant” clinical work. ART is intense, accelerated, and does not stay “open”. My favorite thing about ART is that every single session finishes / closes at the end. ART can be utilized with both adults and children. While these treatments do not change facts and reality, they change our relationship to them, reactivity, symptom presentation, and how we orient toward whatever it is that has or is happening.
Common challenges treated include but are not limited to:
- anxiety
- depression
- family challenges
- phobias
- obsessive compulsive disorder challenges that ERP or CBT have set a good foundation for but haven’t fully resolved
- post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- addictions and substance use challenges
- performance anxiety
- sexuality challenges
- body phobias
- victimization or poor self image
- sexual abuse
- relationship recovery
- infidelity and relationship challenges
- codependency
- grief
- job and career stress
- financial and money anxieties
- pain management
- memory recall and enhancement
- dyslexia
- nightmares
- inter-generational trauma
- combat trauma and veteran specific needs
- all PTSD / trauma resolution needs
- neurodivergence, ADHD, and autism spectrum challenges
- chronic pain and pain syndromes
- fear of change
What clients say:
“I made more progress in one hour than in 3 years of talk therapy.”
“I was skeptical but figured I had nothing to lose. After years of talk therapy and many approaches, I wanted something different. After one session my feelings changed, my symptoms began to change, and I experienced dramatic shifts the longer time went on. I am no longer sad, anxious or ashamed about the situation that was haunting me.”
“Something I experienced on and off challenges about for years was shifted in such a profound way that I never anticipated was possible.”
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a form of psychotherapy with roots in existing other evidence-based therapies but shown to achieve benefits much more rapidly, generally within 1-5 sessions around one specific theme or symptom / memory etc. Clients suffering with a variety of challenges experience remarkable benefits starting in the first session. This is not hypnosis, does not require medication or homework. This is not a substitute for medical intervention. This is process oriented, not content. Clients love this process because of a variety of factors. There is no narrative (no details required unless it serves you), no extra work outside of session, no on-going appointments unless you want to do more. We say “less gab, more grab”. Measurable results are accelerated. The modality is completely client centered (you are in control), and can address emotional blocks that are difficult to get through in other modalities. We look at what’s happening, together, objectively. This experience can rapidly restore functioning and health.
Reach out today!
How Does The Process Work?
This is a structured process that allows both the client and therapist to measure progress and adjust treatment as the therapeutic process evolves. Some clients experience 1 session. Some complete 5 or more. Some do a few sessions each about different things and end up loving this as a modality to help digest life as it unfolds, go for the deep work of the hardest internal things, and find ultimate freedom with a long process.
We go through a protocol together, using image / emotion / sensation / association / memory, and any other material, along with bi-lateral stimulation. We are in the space of neural change, not story-telling.
Once familiarized with the process, it can move quickly and be very efficient once the foundation is built. This is an intensive process and takes a little more investment / commitment, but can deliver potent results.
This experience is offered in an intensive or session by session progression. It is available in-office and virtually. To learn more about each option, please reach out today.
The Unique Benefits
In some ways, suffering can be thought of as a splinter. If you remove it, the flesh regenerates with healthy, new growth. But if the splinter stays in and is irritated on a daily basis, the discomfort increases. Trauma, is a disruption. Anything that prohibits homeostasis. A wound that gets stored in the mind and body, changing how a person thinks, feels, and functions in the world.
Whereas most traditional therapeutic models focus on symptom management and cognitive change, eye movement therapies change on a neurological level, which is fundamentally more effective. Instead of bringing muscle to try to force change, your brain is doing the work for you through organic and intuitive autonomic nervous system work. Even though facts don’t change, true internal freedom is available and possible. This modality is especially loved because it does this without forcing people to relive or discuss in great detail their worst experiences — thus eliminating the risk of doing more harm than good.
Intensive Retreats: an option to deepen the work with no time pressure and prioritize your work with yourself. Intensive containers are always available for personalized individual work and provide an efficient, power packed container to enhance the benefits of therapeutic work, while prioritizing education and skill building. Intensives are taking an intensive modality and adding another layer of efficiency. Beginning and getting into efficient, systematic treatment with regular shorter sessions can take longer than some clients want to wait. Intensives are scheduled in a structured container and can be modified to suit your requests / desires while moving the needle forward faster than regular shorter sessions. We will sculpt an intensive experience that feels appropriate to you, your needs, goals, and circumstances. Having a structured, lengthened amount of time, with scheduled breaks and integration / resting, can make the process go even further for many people who are ready to invest heavily in their own change.
Eye movement therapies are evidence-based and integrative therapeutic models. It frequently works well in conjunction with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), relational therapies, parts work (Internal Family Systems/ IFS & Gestalt), Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), and a number of other modalities. I hold experience with all of these modalities that combine well and believe the intuition of the practitioner is part of what makes this experience go the distance. Due to its structured nature and how it treats core issues directly in a protocol, this experience is often more brief, efficient, and streamlined than other therapeutic processes. Eye movement therapies can also be used as a tool in the container of a long-term psychotherapy relationship.
Remember, your brain is working for you. These treatments are effective for a large variety of challenges, including one time challenging events, or deep themes and long-term pain points.
A Comprehensive Treatment
Let Me Help You Change Your Life’s Trajectory
The depth, scope, and effectiveness as a treatment strategy—particularly for trauma and PTSD—is almost unparalleled. I offer this work in-office as well as via virtually online. If you want to avoid driving / parking / waiting rooms / scheduling challenges / privacy concerns, tele-health offers more flexibility and convenience while still meeting a high standard of care. Some clients prefer being in the office and some prefer the comfort of home. If you’re curious, call me and let’s discuss options.