What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)?

ART in plain terms

Accelerated Resolution Therapy, usually shortened to ART, is a form of psychotherapy developed for people living with the effects of trauma. Published descriptions say it grew out of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and the two share one visible feature: the use of eye movements during a session.

A systematic review in the journal PLOS Mental Health describes ART as using eye movements, exposure and image rescripting to recondition stressful memories. Image rescripting means changing the pictures your mind attaches to a memory. The facts of what happened do not change. The aim is for the memory to carry less distress when it comes up.

ART is a newer approach than the therapies most often named in treatment guidance. That matters when you weigh it, and we cover it honestly below.

What a session involves in general

Details vary by therapist, and a therapist trained in ART will explain the steps before you begin. In general terms, published descriptions include these parts:

• You choose the memory or problem you want to work on.
• The therapist guides you through sets of eye movements while you bring the memory to mind.
• The eye movements are also used to increase relaxation.
• With the therapist's guidance, you create new images to take the place of the distressing ones.
• You stay in control throughout, including how much you share aloud.

How much you have to say out loud

One feature people often ask about is privacy. An article in Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience says patients are not required to recount their traumatic story aloud, and that they stay in control and choose what they want to work on. The systematic review says the same: the client remains in control during sessions.

For some people, that makes starting feel more possible. It does not mean the work is effortless. Bringing a hard memory to mind can stir up strong feelings, and a careful therapist will go at a pace you can manage and help you steady yourself before a session ends.

What the research says so far

The fairest summary is: promising, and still limited. The systematic review looked for studies of ART for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. It found five primary studies, and only two of them were randomized controlled trials, the kind of study that gives the clearest answers.

Those studies reported significant reductions in PTSD symptoms from before treatment to after it. The reviewers also noted that only one study was rated good for quality, so there is a reasonable risk of bias in the results. The studies were too different from each other to combine into one pooled analysis.

The authors concluded that ART shows some promise as a time-efficient treatment for PTSD symptoms in adults, and that more high-quality research is needed. The earlier article made a similar point, noting that ART was still a relatively new option without long-term follow-up studies at the time it was written. It is worth knowing that the developer of ART was one of that article's authors.

How ART compares with other trauma therapies

The VA National Center for PTSD says the talk therapies with the most research support are trauma-focused, meaning the treatment focuses on the traumatic event and what it means to you. It names Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE) and EMDR. CPT works on upsetting thoughts and feelings you have had since the trauma. PE helps you gradually approach memories, feelings and situations you have been avoiding. EMDR helps you process the memory while paying attention to a back-and-forth movement or sound.

ART shares ground with these. Like EMDR it uses eye movements, and like exposure-based therapy it involves turning toward the memory instead of away from it. What sets it apart is the emphasis on replacing distressing images.

What research cannot yet tell us is how ART measures up against those therapies. The systematic review found no studies that compared ART directly with them and said such trials are needed. The National Center for PTSD also notes that there are other options with less research support that may still be good options for some people, and that no one treatment is right for everyone. You and your therapist decide together, based on benefits, risks and your preferences.

How we can help

A member of our team is certified in ART, and other therapists on the team use approaches such as trauma-focused CBT and EMDR. Not every therapist uses every approach. Our trauma and PTSD therapy page explains how we work, and if worry and tension are a large part of what you are facing, anxiety therapy may also be useful. If you served in the military, see veterans counseling.

All sessions are online by secure video, and you must be physically located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Arizona during a session. You can start with a free 15-minute consultation on our booking page and ask anything you like about ART before deciding.

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services. Our crisis resources page lists more options.