Accelerated Resolution Therapy A.R.T
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is an evidence-based brief psychotherapy designed to help people overcome the distress of traumatic memories and other psychological issues. Accelerated Resolution Therapy is known for its ability to produce rapid relief, often within one to five sessions for a single event trauma.
Key Aspects of A.R.T
To help clients replace the distressing images associated with traumatic memories with positive, chosen images. The factual memory of the event remains, but the intense negative emotional and physical reactions are reduced or eliminated.
Techniques: Art is step by step protocol that combines several therapeutic approaches, including:
- Eye Movements: The therapist guides the client’s eyes to move back and forth rapidly, similar to the movements during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. This is believed to stimulate the brain’s processing of memories and promote a relaxation response.
- Voluntary Image Replacement (Imagery Rescripting): The core of the therapy. The client is guided to actively and consciously change the negative mental picture of the traumatic event into a more positive or desired one, which helps to “reprogram” how the memory is stored.
- Elements from other therapies: It draws upon techniques from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gestalt therapy, and Guided Imagery.
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ART is a manualized, step-by-step protocol that combines several therapeutic approaches, including:
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Focus on Imagery, Not Detailed Narration: A unique benefit of ART is that clients do not have to talk in detail about their traumatic experience aloud. They recall the images silently, which can make the process less overwhelming.
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Conditions Treated: While it is primarily known for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), research also supports its use for:
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Anxiety and Panic
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Depression
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Phobias
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
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Grief and bereavement
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You can find us at
nina@mbcllc.health
PHONE NUMBER
703-705-9880
LOCATION
6611 Jefferson Street, Suite 202
Haymarket, Va 20169