Game Changer (Accelerated Resolution Therapy-ART)
Why I Call Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) a Game Changer —
When you have read all the books, listened to all the podcasts (and let’s be real; watched all the TikTok's), gathered all the advice and tips and tricks around you, and even done self-exploration and become super insightful, yet still in real life, in the hard moments, you aren’t consistently showing up how you want. When big life events happen that are overwhelming—the ones that shake you to your core and make you feel like you have lost your footing in life. When persistent symptoms like chronic anxiety, or anger, or that nagging chronic negative internal voice take over and you can’t put them back in the passenger seat easily.
ART works in these areas where healing and growth aren't just about knowledge and insightfulness. Where we need some nervous system work, where our brains and bodies need to reconnect and work through it all together to finally set it all down, take the wisdom from these things and move out of having to survive them any longer!
This is where ART steps in and this is why I call it a game changer!
ART moves us out of survival mode AND settles whatever is needed so that survival mode around those specific things simply doesn't make sense and isn't needed any longer! ART helps foster healing and growth for the whole body and brain, typically in 1–5 sessions.
What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is an evidence-based therapy modality that was created from previous trauma therapies and incorporated more recent brain and trauma research in additional to the wisdom and knowledge of these former therapies. ART "works directly to reprogram the way in which distressing memories and images are stored in the brain so that they no longer trigger strong physical and emotional reactions (https://acceleratedresolutiontherapy.com/)." One of the game changer parts; ART has Accelerated in the title as the typical treatment plan for ART is 1-5 sessions, this would be about one month of care to complete 5 sessions.
ART works by using a combination of bilateral eye movements, guided imagery with a lot of metaphors (one of the brains favortes!), voluntary image replacement and a lot of body somatic work to help your whole body and brain process things stored as trauma and to work to stay regulated during the process.
The big phrase ART uses is “keep the knowledge loose the pain” aka; the hope is that these things become just factual parts of your life story not things that you are finding you have to relive. That the survival skills that were originally developed can become things you have autonomy over, that don’t take over for survival anymore, you can choose to use them when you want to.
Think of trauma stored survival skills as your brain and body holding onto specific behaviors or ways of thinking that in the past helped you survive (ex. yelling=danger, avoid "conflict" at all costs to keep the peace and safety, busy leaves no space for feelings). Trauma stored events/things maybe; events that occurred that you have to survive, that in the moment you didn’t have the ability to wrap your mind around and/or get the support you needed to do quickly to do so, anything that occurred that was outside of your coping ability in that moment in time.
Think of trauma stored survival skills as your brain and body holding onto specific behaviors or ways of thinking that in the past helped you survive (ex. yelling=danger, avoid "conflict" at all costs to keep the peace and safety, busy leaves no space for feelings). Trauma stored events/things maybe; events that occurred that you have to survive, that in the moment you didn’t have the ability to wrap your mind around and/or get the support you needed to do quickly to do so, anything that occurred that was outside of your coping ability in that moment in time.
It’s Not Talk Therapy — It’s Whole Body and Brain Work
The ART difference is that it doesn’t rely solely on language, logic, or telling the story again. While allowing your body and brain to feel safe enough to do the work it needs to—without overwhelm, without re-traumatizing, without long-term digging into pain.
A few of the highlights that are what I think make ART amazing:
Most of the work is done internally, there can be very little talking. You can effectively work through an ART session without ever verbally talking about what you are working on! There are spaces where verbal processing is invited if you find that helpful, this intentionality is key to the ART process being non-re-traumatizing!
Bilateral eye movements—okay, stick with me on this one. I truly am waving my hand in front of you as your eyes track this movement. This really is gold to the ART process…. These eye movements tap into our central nervous system to help our bodies regulate and work through sensations to feel safe to do the work. They are also letting our brains work in a different way to access memories and alow space for work to be done.
From Surviving to Thriving
When your brain and body gets the chance to settle, a powerful thing happens:
You stop having to hide, mask, or power through life.
You begin to feel more like yourself.
Your responses shift to more intentional vs reactive.
This is what thriving looks like — not perfection, being able to intentionally and presently live!
What will you notice first when you are not surviving life anymore?
Written by Jessica Barber, LCSW-S
Jessica Barber is a Therapist at The Hope Place that works with adults, couples and families. She is Advanced and Enhanced trained in ART and uses ART frequently with parents who are wanting to show up consistently thriving for their families, first responders, veterans, high stress healthcare professionals who are noticing effects from chronic activation/stress or have specific experiences they are ready to work through to be able to leave in the past. For any questions she can be reached at jessica.barber@hopeplacetx.com.
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