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JennaMcGonegal
THERAPY
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is an evidence-based eye movement therapy that has been shown to effectively treat the root of trauma, depression, anxiety, and complicated grief more rapidly than many other therapies. The eye movements used in ART create theta waves in the brain, which are connected to daydreaming and intuition, and deactivate the amygdala, which is responsible for our 'fight or flight' response. This helps calm the body and regulate your nervous system while processing painful memories, meaning your reaction to triggers will be drastically reduced or eliminated following the therapy. ART also involves replacing negative images and sensations with more positive ones, so that you keep the facts of your memories, but lose the pain. Find more details on the ART website and learn more about the benefits of ART, including how it helps with anxiety, on my blog.
Benefits of ART
Non-talkative
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) does not require you to talk through all the details of painful experiences. Instead, it works with the brain and body by focusing on physical sensations and imagery, allowing distress to be processed without rehashing your story.
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You’re always welcome to share as much or as little as feels comfortable.
Replaces Negative Images
I will guide you to replace stuck, negative images from your difficult experiences with more positive ones. While you'll still have the true narrative, your relationship to it will change so it will no longer trigger any emotional or physiological symptoms.
Directive & Collaborative
You'll be guided through the therapy using a directive approach that prevents you from getting stuck and allows you (and your subconscious) to find your own solutions to your problems. I'll be with you every step of the way to provide compassionate support and answer questions as they arise.
Brief
ART works directly with the brain and nervous system to help process distressing experiences at the root of present challenges, so shifts are often noticed more quickly than with traditional talk therapy alone. While each person’s experience is unique, many clients notice meaningful relief early in the process. Continued sessions can support integration, coping skills, and longer-term change.
Evidence-Based
ART is research-backed and evidence-based (see research publications here). It draws upon numerous effective therapies that are also evidence-based, including EMDR, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Gestalt, Guided Imagery, and Exposure Therapy.
Regulates the Nervous System
Bilateral eye movements are used to calm the nervous system and facilitate visualization, similar to REM sleep. Painful past experiences lose the associated negative emotions and sensations, releasing their hold on you and allowing you to live more freely in the present.
What to Expect
1
Assessment
Together, we’ll explore the challenges you’re facing and what may be contributing to them, whether rooted in past experiences or showing up in the present. This phase also helps us determine whether Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is an appropriate fit for you at this time.
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Assessment may include exploring relevant history, identifying patterns, and beginning to build awareness of how your experiences connect to current concerns. Depending on your needs, this process may take place over more than one session.
2
Preparing for ART
Before beginning ART, we focus on helping you feel ready and supported. This may include developing grounding and regulation strategies, building awareness of how distress shows up in your body, and ensuring you have tools to stay within a manageable range during processing.
We’ll also identify a specific scene or experience to work with, clarify how you’d like to feel differently, and walk through what to expect—including practicing eye movements so the process feels familiar and comfortable.
3
Working with the Body
ART involves tuning into how distress shows up in your body. You’ll be guided to notice physical sensations while using gentle imagery and bilateral eye movements to support your nervous system in processing and releasing stored activation.
4
Processing & Rescripting
Using bilateral eye movements, you’ll briefly revisit the distressing scene in a structured and supported way. As the process unfolds, the emotional intensity often begins to decrease.
We then work with imagery and rescripting to shift how the experience is stored, allowing the memory to remain, but with less emotional charge and a greater sense of closure.
5
Session Closure
Toward the end of the session, we’ll check in on how the experience feels compared to the beginning. Many clients notice a reduction in emotional intensity and a shift in how they relate to the memory.
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In follow-up sessions, we’ll reflect on changes you’ve noticed, support integration, and decide together whether to continue with ART or focus on building and reinforcing skills for daily life.