Accelerated Resolution Therapy · Newington, CT
Keep the facts. Lose the pain. That is the promise of ART.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a brief, structured, eye-movement therapy that helps you change the way distressing memories are stored, often in as little as one to five sessions. You keep the facts of what happened. The images, sensations and triggers stop running your life.
Does this resonate?
This may be right for you if…
- You want relief quickly and prefer a clear, structured process.
- You would rather not talk through the details of what happened.
- Intrusive images, nightmares or mental replays are the main problem.
- You are a first responder, nurse or professional processing critical incidents.
- A specific phobia or single event is holding you back.
What is Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
ART was developed by Laney Rosenzweig, LMFT, in 2008 and is recognized by SAMHSA as an evidence-based treatment for PTSD, depression, stress and personal resilience. It combines smooth-pursuit eye movements (similar to EMDR) with a technique called Voluntary Image Replacement: after the emotional and physical sensations connected to a memory are processed, you deliberately replace the disturbing images with images you choose.
The result is something clients describe as surprising. You can still recall what happened, and you can still tell the story if you need to, but the memory no longer comes with the flood of images and body sensations that used to arrive with it. Sarah likes to summarize it the way ART practitioners do: "keep the knowledge, lose the pain."
Why ART is different
ART is highly structured and directive, which makes it fast. A single ART session runs about 60-75 minutes and follows a clear protocol. Most single-incident traumas resolve in one to five sessions. Because you never have to describe the memory out loud, ART is especially useful for people who have been holding something they have never told anyone, for first responders and medical professionals with cumulative critical-incident exposure, and for anyone who is exhausted by the idea of "talking about it again."
ART is also unusually good for concerns that are image-driven: intrusive images after an accident or loss, phobias, nightmares, and the mental replay that fuels obsessive worry.
What ART can help with
In Sarah's Newington practice, ART is used for PTSD and single-incident trauma, grief and traumatic loss, anxiety and panic, phobias, nightmares and sleep disruption, medical and surgical trauma, critical incidents for first responders, performance anxiety, and the residue of bullying or painful relationships. It works with adolescents as well as adults.
ART, EMDR or Brainspotting: which one?
Sarah is one of a small number of Connecticut clinicians trained in all three. The short version: ART is fastest and most structured; EMDR has the deepest research base and is ideal for layered histories; Brainspotting is the gentlest and most body-led. Which one you start with depends on your history, your nervous system and your preferences, and it is common to use more than one across a course of treatment or within a therapy intensive.
The process
What to expect
- 01
Choose a target
You identify the memory or issue you want to work on. You do not have to describe it; a title or a headline is enough.
- 02
Process the sensations
While following Sarah's hand with your eyes, you briefly bring up the scene and notice the body sensations, which are processed out in sets.
- 03
Replace the images
Using Voluntary Image Replacement, you rescript the scene with images you choose, so that when you think of it later, those are what appear.
- 04
Check and close
You test the memory. Most clients find they can recall the facts calmly, without the old charge. Sessions end with you grounded and steady.
Common questions
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) FAQ
Still wondering about something? See all FAQs or reach out directly.
Is ART the same as EMDR?
They share bilateral eye movements, but ART is more directive, adds Voluntary Image Replacement, and is designed to be complete in fewer sessions. EMDR has a longer research history and is often better for complex, layered trauma.
Will I forget what happened?
No. ART changes how the memory is stored, not whether it exists. You keep the factual memory and lose the distressing images and sensations attached to it.
How many ART sessions will I need?
Research shows an average of about four sessions for PTSD symptoms, and many single-issue clients feel significant relief after one. More complex histories take longer.
Is ART covered by insurance?
When delivered in a standard session length, yes, ART is billed as psychotherapy and covered by the plans Sarah accepts. Extended ART sessions and intensives are private-pay.
Can ART be done online?
Yes. Sarah provides ART through secure video across Connecticut using on-screen eye-movement guidance.
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Ready when you are
Take the first step on your journey of healing.
Reach out for a free consultation. Sarah will listen, answer your questions, and help you decide whether working together is the right fit.