Accelerated Resolution Therapy is exactly what it says on the tin.
Accelerated—as in, we’re moving fast.
Resolution—because we’re resolving issues.
Therapy—because we are working to help you keep the knowledge and lose your pain.
Now, if you’ve ever packed for a trip and you are like me, you pack everything, “just in case”.
A 42-minute vacation to Timbuktu?
Sure, I’ll need three pairs of shoes, two scarves, and a 100-piece toiletry kit.
But, the minute I finally zip up my overstuffed suitcase, I remember that thing—the one item I need is buried in the bottom compartment.
In my case, it’s usually my hot comb. A girl’s gotta have her wig laid, you know?
And that’s where the real pain is.
Getting that suitcase open means undoing all that careful packing, just to reach that one essential thing.
This is the exact way that traditional therapy deals with emotional pain- requiring you to open the whole stuff to get to the solution.
That can be exhausting. It can be overwhelming. And sometimes, it may be why you avoid dealing with things altogether.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy, on the other hand, deals with your emotional pain without unpacking your whole emotional suitcase every time.
It helps you in a way that just talking about it won’t resolve.
Through a combination of guided eye movements and visualization techniques, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) helps you reprocess painful memories so they feel more manageable-like the volume’s been turned down on your emotional reaction.
This blog has all the tea on what you should expect when considering or are being considered for accelerated resolution therapy. Dive in, will you?
In This Article:
Why Accelerated Resolution Therapy Works
Accelerated Resolution Therapy works because it aligns with how your brain naturally processes information.
It helps to reset your amygdala response to future events so you are not in constant flight to fight mode.
It replaces negative images with positive images to give you the relief you need to live your life.
Say you endured something painful like bullying in school or a toxic relationship, childhood trauma or abuse, ART doesn’t erase it.
When you “view” the event again in the ART session, you can re-write it so your adult self intervenes, the bully turns into Minnie Mouse or whatever powerless object that is helpful for you.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy helps to reset your amygdala response to future events so you are not in constant flight to fight mode.
In essence, it doesn’t actually change your memory but does take a lot of the emotional intensity out of the event.
Instead of constantly carrying the weight of that event, Accelerated Resolution Therapy allows you to carry it more lightly and gently.
Unlike other therapies, you don’t have to sit there and relive every detail of your trauma.
Of course, you can still remember the event, but it won’t hurt every time you think of it.
I am trained and certified in ART and I’ll guide you through a series of eye movements while you focus on a troubling memory or experience.
No, ART is not hypnosis. You’re completely aware of what’s happening.
But by the end of the session, that memory or feeling that once had such a tight grip on you? It feels looser. Lighter.
Some people walk out of their first session shocked by how different they feel.
Others notice changes over time. Either way, the process is guided the entire way so you are not alone.
How Accelerated Resolution Therapy Differs From Other Therapies
If you’ve been through or heard of traditional therapy or even EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), you might wonder how Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) compares.
Here’s how:
- Traditional Therapy: You talk about your trauma over and over again, slowly working through it piece by piece. Traditional therapy is time consuming and may not help you process your emotions.
- EMDR: Uses eye movements too, like ART, but is more cognitive-based and may take longer to process trauma. Unlike ART, EMDR often takes a few sessions beforehand to prepare, learn coping skills and grounding techniques, and to assess whether or not you’re even ready to do EMDR before a therapist is supposed to get into it with you. But, note, this does not mean I won’t do adequate preparation work when doing ART with you.
- Accelerated Resolution Therapy(ART): With ART, you don’t need to recount every painful detail. You focus on the feeling behind the memory, and the eye movements help your brain.
Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy For You?
You might be wondering if you’re ready for ART, if your experiences are “enough” to warrant this kind of therapy.
Here’s what I know: if you’re feeling the weight of past experiences, if you’re tired of carrying emotional baggage that doesn’t serve you anymore, if you’re ready for change that doesn’t require reliving every painful detail
—then yes, ART might be exactly what you need.
What Accelerated Resolution Therapy Can Help You With
Accelerated Resolution Therapy(ART) is effective for a range of emotional challenges, especially for people who’ve experienced trauma.
Whether it’s racial trauma, anxiety, PTSD, depression, phobias, grief, or self-esteem issues, ART helps reframe memories in a way that reduces the emotional intensity they carry.
For anxiety, ART can help reframe the triggers that cause your worry.
When you are dealing with grief, ART helps you process that grief in a way that feels more manageable.
I hope that clears it up for you.
How Will I Feel After Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
One question I often hear is, “Will I still be me after ART?”
The answer is yes —but a version of you that’s not weighed down by past experiences.
You’ll still have your memories, your strength, your wisdom from past experiences.
But they’ll feel different. Lighter.
People often think ART is just for big traumas, but it’s surprisingly effective for what some might call “everyday” struggles.
Those moments when you choose silence over speaking up and now can’t sleep. The times you doubted your own experiences because others minimized them.
The constant mental rehearsal of future conversations because the past ones went so wrong.
ART helps with all of these.
Why Try Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
Because you’ve already done the hard part
—you’ve survived everything life throws at you.
You’ve already shown incredible strength by seeking answers, by considering a new path to healing.
Now it’s time to stop just surviving and start thriving.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is not delulu—it’s science combined with genuine care and understanding. It’s permission to heal without having to explain yourself over and over again.
If you want to learn more about ART before trying it out, watch a TED Talk by the founder at the link here.
And if you are ready to see how Ashay Therapy can get you started with ART, our FREE 20- minute consultation is still on the table.
Talk to you soon.
