Why Clients Choose Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) for Healing Sexual Abuse Trauma in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia
What is Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
As a provider of therapeutic services to trauma survivors, I am so thankful for the day that I was introduced to Accelerated Resolution Therapy. This little-known therapy process has been a major game changer for so many clients who had begun to lose hope that they would ever feel in control of their own thought patterns when it comes to distressing memories and flashbacks.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy, also known as ART, is an evidence based technique that allows survivors of sexual and physical violence to re-process memories and replace disturbing images, even without the need to ever voice out loud any of the details of the events they are processing. The ability to experience relief and actual recovery from trauma that has had a life-long impact, without having to share the story of what happened over and over again, allows those who are carrying a lot of shame from the past to reap the benefits without wondering if their therapist will judge them or think differently about them.
The Science Behind ART and Sexual Abuse Recovery
Two very important aspects of the ART process that cause it to stand apart from other methods, especially traditional talk therapy, are the use of guided eye movements and voluntary image replacement.
Using eye movements to guide memory re-processing first originated with EMDR counseling. It was with EMDR where it was discovered that moving patients’ eyes back and forth while they brought up the details of a past memory could quickly bring down the distress that those memories would usually cause. Even better, it became clear that the reduction in distress was actually long-lasting. The heightened, fearful and intense feelings simply stopped coming back at the mention of the past trauma, once relief had been achieved.
While both EMDR and ART use guided eye movements to target and bring down distress, ART is essentially the fresher, more stream-lined version of EMDR, allowing patients to achieve the same level of results in a much shorter window of time. ART also incorporates more somatic awareness than EMDR, by directing the client’s attention to their own body sensations and signals as a way of better understanding triggers and emotions. But further discussion of the differences between these two models will be further discussed at another time.
The second unique aspect of ART is voluntary image replacement. Voluntary image replacement is basically a way of engaging your imagination to work with and for you, rather than against you in the form of flashbacks and intrusive thoughts that feel out of your control. By deciding what you would prefer to think about in place of your painful memory, you effectively give your brain a new set of instructions about what emotions to bring up when a past event comes to mind.
Why Clients in Washington, DC, and Virginia are Turning to ART
Think of it this way- instead of immediately recalling the shock and fear of a difficult car accident when ever you see a dark blue truck in your rearview mirror, now when you see a truck that resembles the one you were in an accident with, you remember the fun of going swimming with your cousins at the neighborhood pool when you were growing up. I know, it sounds too good to be true. But this is the kind of work I do with clients all the time.
Professionals in the DMV who are informed about their therapy options are turning to ART more and more. With a rapid relief program, more folks are able to fit treatment into their busy lives, and finally meet unmet needs around past distress and trauma. By directly targeting the memories that hold the greatest pain, these patients are experiencing greater relief than they thought possible, more quickly than they expected and with more ripple effects on their mood, confidence, relationships and professional growth than they dared to hope for.
Choosing An Experienced Psychotherapist to Provide ART services for Trauma
While ART is certainly very effective on its own, the client-to-therapist relationship is still a highly relevant part of the process. This matters in terms of the connection and trust you have with the counselor you are working with, as well as your confidence in their ability to help you meet your desired goals.
As a specialist in serving populations who are suffering with trauma and anxiety, I have dedicated my career to achieving wonderful results for my clients. Watching the complete relief come into my clients’ eyes as they realize that are no longer affecting by thoughts and memories that have kept them captive for years, if not decades, is something that never grows old.
It is important for my clients to know that I not only have over 15 years of experience helping clients successfully navigate trauma, I also have over 8 years of experience treating clients with the breakthrough model of ART. I have used ART to help all kinds of clients, from teenagers to seniors, dealing with sexual trauma, religious trauma, social anxiety, creative blocks, emotional abuse, phobias and more.
If this article has inspired you to want these similar life-changing results for yourself, give me a call directly or set up a meeting with me today!
About the Author
Linda Sanderville, LCSW is a psychotherapist with over fifteen years experience in effective trauma treatment and training and supervision of other mental health professionals. Currently, she provides specialty services to adults seeking recovery from stressful life events and those who desire to optimize their wellness and the health of their relationships.
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Other Services Offered at Satya Counseling and Yoga
At Satya Counseling and Yoga, I want to help create a safe space for my clients to start their healing journey individually or as a couple. To help accommodate you in my Northern Virginia practice (along with other locations nationwide), the services I offer in addition to internal family systems therapy include trauma recovery, anxiety relief, and therapy for depression. I also offer a Transformation Therapy Intensive for those looking to seek accelerated progress toward their identified goals and personal growth and Yoga for Therapy to help increase your mental resilience and enhance your emotional state. For more about my practice check out my FAQs and blog!