Accelerated Resolution Therapy® (ART) is a brief, structured form of psychotherapy that helps reduce distress tied to difficult experiences or memories. Using guided eye movements and visualization techniques, ART helps your brain reprocess troubling images, sensations, and emotions so they no longer cause the same level of distress.

ART works through a process called memory reconsolidation, which helps your brain change the way painful memories are stored. During guided eye movements, you’ll intentionally replace distressing images with new, calm, or positive images. The factual memory remains, but the emotional and physical reactions are eliminated.

I like to think of it like changing the background music to a tense or scary scene in a movie - you still know what is happening, but you lose the heightened emotional state attached.

No. One of ART’s most unique features is that you do not need to describe your trauma or personal experiences in detail if you prefer not to. You can still fully process and resolve those memories privately, while your clinician guides you through the technique.

ART is both brief and highly focused. Many evidence-based trauma therapies—like EMDR, Prolonged Exposure, or Cognitive Processing Therapy—can require several months of sessions. ART uses a structured protocol that allows meaningful change to occur in much fewer sessions, often within one to five visits. It also emphasizes client control and avoids prolonged reliving of trauma.

ART has been shown to help with many issues, including PTS and trauma-related symptoms, anxiety and panic, depression, grief and loss, phobias, sleep problems, and chronic stress or pain with emotional components.

Sessions are usually 60 minutes. You’ll be seated comfortably while your therapist guides you through sets of side to-side eye movements and visualization exercises. You’ll focus on specific images, sensations, or emotions, while the clinician helps you transform how those memories are stored and experienced.

Unlike some traditional trauma therapies, ART is designed to minimize re-traumatization. You will recall distressing images briefly (which is what researchers call “imaginal exposure”), but the goal is to replace them with calm, safe, or empowering images—often leading to immediate emotional relief.

Yes. ART has been studied in peer-reviewed research, including randomized and controlled trials with veterans and civilians. Studies have shown significant improvements in PTSD, depression, anxiety, and related symptoms, often within a few of sessions.

Yes. Research and clinical experience show that ART can be helpful for people who haven’t found full relief from other evidence-based therapies like Cognitive Processing Therapy or Prolonged Exposure. It offers a new pathway to resolve distress without prolonged exposure or repeated retelling of trauma.

If you’ve experienced distressing memories, trauma, or ongoing anxiety that you’d like to resolve quickly and safely, ART may be a good fit. You can schedule a consultation with an ART-trained clinician to discuss your history, goals, and whether this approach aligns with your needs.