PEACEFUL TIDES THERAPY
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
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Overview of ART
Acclerated Resolution Therapy (ART) works directly to reprogram the way in which distressing images and memories are stored in the brain so that they no longer trigger strong physical and emotional reactions.
ART incorporates the same core components of A-level trauma-focused psychotherapies accepted as standard of care, such as CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy), PE (Prolonged Exposure Therapy), and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). These core components include desensitization through imaginal exposure, in-vitro/in-vivo exposure, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation. ART delivers these core components capitalizing on recent knowledge on memory reconsolidation. ART is a direct derivative of EMDR and relies on guided visualizations and eye movements to facilitate desensitization and processing of distressing memories, in-vitro exposure to future feared triggers, practicing future preferred behaviour through visualizations and eliciting improvements in physiological arousal, emotional reacitivity and beliefs.
A research study determined for most PTSD cases ART can be delivered in less than 5, 60 minute treatment sessions (mean 3.7 sessions in the clinical trial) compared to 10-12, 90 minute sessions for EMDR and other trauma-focused therapy packages. These studies show ART is a more cost effective and accelerated way to treat PTSD.
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What conditions can ART treat?
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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
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Grief
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Depression
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Anxiety
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Phobias
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Addiction
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And more...
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What does an ART session look like?
The client sits in a comfortable position while the therapist sits in front of the client and directs the client to follow the therapists hand movements with their eyes. While watching the hand movements the client will picture in their mind a specific event or collection of events that they wish to decrease their emotional and physical reaction to. This is a directive type of therapy where the therapist provides verbal direction through out the session. The client does not have to share details of the event with the therapist, whether details are verbally expressed or not, the effectiveness of the therapy session will remain the same.
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With repeated recollection of this event during the therapy session the emotional and physical reaction to the event will decrease. The client will be in control of their mind and body during the whole session.
