How to understand trauma therapy Accelerated Resolution Therapy: A Cutting-Edge Therapy Similar to EMDR
Individuals seeking therapy similar to EMDR might consider Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) as a viable option. With a focus on using eye movements to process trauma like EMDR, ART distinguishes itself by offering a quicker and directed method. This article will compare ART to EMDR, discussing its distinguishing features and evaluating its approach to trauma therapy.
Key Takeaways
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) both utilize eye movement techniques for trauma treatment, with ART focusing on emotional and sensory experiences, and offering a more rapid, structured, and directive therapy protocol.
ART distinguishes itself by allowing clients to quickly replace negative traumatic imagery with positive ones through a structured protocol of one to five sessions, often resolving PTSD and other mental health issues more efficiently than traditional therapies.
ART is recognized as an evidence-based therapy by authoritative bodies like the APA, showing significant promise in mental health treatment and enjoys international application, highlighting its growing credibility and effectiveness in treating PTSD and other disorders.
Understanding the Connection: EMDR and ART
EMDR and ART, while distinct in their own rights, share a common thread - the use of eye movement techniques to alleviate distress. ART, in fact, was born from the integration of beneficial components from various psychotherapies, including EMDR, with the intention of facilitating a more rapid therapeutic process.
When it comes to treating trauma, both therapies come into play, albeit with different foci. EMDR places more emphasis on the content of traumatic memories, while ART zeroes in on the emotional and sensory experiences associated with the trauma. This difference does not imply a superiority of one over the other; instead, it offers complementary approaches for clients. The success with one method may open doors to try the other when needed, providing an adaptable framework for trauma therapy.
Distinguishing Features of Accelerated Resolution Therapy
What sets accelerated resolution therapy art (ART) apart is its quickness and structure. With just one to five sessions spread over approximately two weeks, ART delivers effective results, making it a time and resource-efficient therapy. Its structured protocol, including a specific number of eye movements, provides a clear roadmap for therapy, contrasting with the more flexible approach of EMDR.
Furthermore, each ART session focuses on rescripting a single traumatic event, unlike EMDR therapy, which may revisit the same trauma multiple times. This concentrated focus, coupled with more directive guidance from the therapist, empowers clients to attain rapid mastery over their traumatic experiences.
But perhaps one of the most striking features of ART is its voluntary memory replacement mechanism. Clients can consciously replace negative imagery from PTSD with chosen positive images, often within a single session. This transformation of distressing images into positive or neutral ones happens under the therapist’s guidance during the imagery rescripting process. Thus, ART allows clients to move beyond their past traumas rapidly while experiencing calming and joyful emotions.
Delving into an ART Session
An ART session follows a standardized protocol, typically comprising one to five sessions of 60-70 minutes each, spread over a 2-3-week period. The journey begins with the client conducting a full body scan and identifying a specific traumatic event along with the associated trauma related symptoms and uncomfortable sensations.
As the session progresses, the client engages in relaxation exercises involving horizontal eye movements guided by the therapist’s hand. This process, known as bilateral stimulation, helps elicit a relaxation response and decrease neurological arousal while the client visualizes the trauma as if watching a movie. This technique is part of the eye movement desensitization therapy.
The session then moves forward to a phase of memory reconsolidation. Here, the client reimagines a preferred outcome to the past trauma, facilitated by eye movements. This leads up to a closure phase where any remaining distress is addressed, reassuring the client that the traumatic event, as well as other traumatic events, and the associated traumatic memory, are now in the past.
Throughout this process, the client maintains control, focusing on internal processing rather than verbalization while the therapist provides specific directives and a supportive role.
The Benefits of ART: Treating Trauma and Beyond
ART has shown promising results in quickly and effectively treating a wide range of mental health issues, including:
PTSD
Anxiety
Depression
Panic attacks
One of ART’s significant advantages is its brief treatment period. Typically, results are delivered in just a few sessions, ranging from one to five sessions over two weeks, significantly reducing the time and resources needed compared to other therapies.
ART integrates techniques from various therapies, including imagery rescripting, to address a person’s traumatic experiences. It creates new positive images and uses eye movements to help process traumatic memories.
Specifically for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ART has shown effectiveness, providing rapid treatment for symptoms and potentially reducing both the number and length of sessions compared to traditional psychotherapies.
Becoming an ART Therapist: Training and Certification
The journey to becoming an ART therapist begins with fulfilling prerequisites for Basic ART Training. These include being a mental health professional, such as a licensed psychologist, or a mental health clinician with a relevant master’s degree, and having a current mental health license. Pre-licensed mental health professionals under supervision and graduate students in advanced mental health studies who have completed core coursework are also eligible for Basic ART Training.
The Basic ART Training is a three-day session, costing $1600, which covers eye movement techniques, Basic Protocol for past events, and Typical Day protocol for current issues. It is equipped with lectures, videos, demonstrations, and supervised practicum.
After completing Basic Training and documenting 30 ART sessions, practitioners can pursue Advanced ART Training. This focuses on metaphors as interventions, complex issues, and pain management, and provides case consultation. Successfully completing these trainings and fulfilling the case session requirements lead to certification as Basic and Advanced ART Practitioners, broadening their expertise in treating a variety of psychological disorders.
Potential Challenges and Considerations in ART
Like any therapy, including art therapy, ART comes with its share of challenges. One of these is navigating cognitive reprisal and affect labeling, which requires a well-trained and experienced therapist. Additionally, patients might experience intense emotions while processing traumas in ART, necessitating a therapist capable of supporting them through these reactions.
Further, the occurrence of strong emotional and physical reactions in ART, such as a racing heart, underscores the necessity of a safe and controlled therapeutic environment. A potential challenge in ART is ensuring patients validate and accept their emotions, rather than suppress them, as emotional suppression can lead to further physical reactions and psychological issues.
Moreover, managing the intensity and duration of emotional reactions is fundamental in ART, requiring self-regulation skills that can be arduous for some individuals to practice. The treatment’s effectiveness hinges on the patient’s ability to practice self-compassion and maintain a non-judgmental viewpoint of themselves, a challenging task for those with entrenched negative self-perceptions.
Real-World Applications of ART
ART’s real-world impact and recognition are significant. It is recognized as evidence-based by the Society of Clinical Psychology, Division 12 of the American Psychological Association. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has acknowledged ART as an evidence-based treatment for trauma, depression, and promoting resilience.
In the context of the military, the Institute of Medicine endorses evidence-based treatments such as ART for treating PTSD in the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. ART has shown significant symptom reduction in a randomized, controlled trial with 57 U.S. service members/veterans for combat-related PTSD.
Internationally, ART’s application has been reported in countries including:
Italy
England
Scotland
Ireland
Korea
Kuwait
Canada
This worldwide adoption further underscores the effectiveness and potential of ART in treating trauma and mental health issues.
Summary
In summary, EMDR and ART offer robust and promising solutions for treating trauma and mental health issues. While they share similarities in their use of eye movement techniques, their differences in treating traumatic memories and emotional experiences offer complementary approaches for clients.
ART stands out for its brief treatment period, structured protocol, single-event focus, directive guidance, and voluntary memory replacement, enabling clients to rapidly overcome traumatic experiences. It has shown effectiveness in treating a wide range of mental health issues, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks, with results typically seen in one to five sessions over two weeks.
As we conclude, it’s clear that ART has a significant role to play in the field of mental health. With its effective treatment protocol, quick results, and worldwide recognition, ART is poised to make a lasting impact in the lives of those grappling with traumatic experiences and mental health issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What therapies are related to EMDR?
ART therapy incorporates elements of EMDR, Gestalt, CBT, and brief psychodynamic therapy, using techniques such as rapid eye movement, exposure, imagery rescripting, and guided imagery. This offers a comprehensive approach to address various psychological needs.
Which is better EMDR or EFT?
Both EMDR and EFT have been found to be equally effective, with a slightly higher proportion of patients showing significant clinical improvements in the EMDR group. This makes EMDR a slightly better option overall.
What are the similarities and differences between EMDR and ART?
Both EMDR and ART use eye movement techniques to help clients process traumatic memories, but EMDR focuses on the content of memories, while ART emphasizes the emotional and sensory aspects of trauma. This can help determine which approach may be more suitable for a particular individual.
How does an ART session work?
During an ART session, a client undergoes a full body scan, relaxation exercises, memory reconsolidation, and closure following a standardized protocol. The client maintains control over the process and focuses on internal processing rather than verbalization.