About ART
It's Evidence Based
Accelerated resolution therapy (ART) is an evidenced-based psychotherapy that helps clients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) finish processing past trauma. It’s built upon the framework of other familiar evidence-based cognitive therapies and uses techniques, such as imaginal exposure, perceptual reframing and other relaxation methods, to help clients positively or neutrally re-frame and re-file past traumatic events.
Re-Modify Trauma During the Window of Opportunity
Though memories tied to traumatic events can only be re-modified after triggering recollection of the event, during a window of opportunity. This re-consolidation window exists briefly, while the client voluntarily recalls the troublesome memory. The practitioner helps the client finish processing leftover emotions by using a defined set of lateral goal directed-eye movements. These hand movements assist in re-filing only memories that the client is re-imagining and focusing positive or neutral energy towards for memory modification.
Hand Movements Help Re-File Traumatic Memories
Research shows that goal-directed hand movements can trigger neural circuits tied to the limbic system and help re-file traumatic memories. In a way, different parts of your brain read pages of code to perform different functions; however, every now and again your brain may come across some bad code. Well, for that part of your brain to continue working, it must delete the bad code and input new code. In the case of ART, the client is voluntarily re-imagining the trauma (or the bad code) and creating a new script (inputting the new code), ultimately cognitively reframing past perceptions. In other words, ART can help clients re-code targeted traumatic memories to change their perceptual form.