Have you ever had a memory that just won’t leave you alone?
Maybe it’s something that happened years ago. You’ve talked about it, thought it through, and reminded yourself a hundred times that it’s over. You understand what happened and why it affected you.
But your body didn’t get the memo.
A certain sound, a familiar place, or even a passing thought can bring it all rushing back. Suddenly, your heart is racing, your stomach is in knots, and you’re feeling emotions you thought you’d worked through long ago.
It’s frustrating, especially when you know you’re safe now.
But if that something from your past keeps showing up in your present, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) may be able to help.
ART is a relatively new approach to therapy that helps people work through distressing memories without having to talk through every painful detail.
Let’s take a closer look at what ART is, how it works, and why it might be a therapy worth exploring.
What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)?
First, let’s clear up one thing: Despite its name, ART doesn’t involve paintbrushes, pottery, or discovering your inner Picasso.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a structured form of psychotherapy developed in 2008 by therapist Laney Rosenzweig that combines techniques such as guided imagery, eye movement work, memory processing, and gentle exposure to help reduce the emotional and physical distress connected to painful experiences. We’ve seen how ART helps our clients work through trauma and other difficult past experiences, but we’ve also used this technique to help people struggling with anxiety, OCD, depression, addiction, and more.
The core idea is simple. Painful memories and struggles tend to come bundled with images, sensations, and emotions that the brain never fully sorted out. ART helps you revisit the memory, or address your current difficulty, in a calm, guided way, then deliberately reshape the images tied to it. The facts and memories of your life stay. The sting fades.
Here’s a simple way to think about it.
Imagine you have a photograph tucked away in a drawer. You know exactly what’s in the picture, but every time you pull it out, you feel a rush of fear, sadness, or shame attached to that memory. But you don’t want to get rid of the photo because the memory is meaningful to your life.
ART doesn’t throw away the photograph or pretend the moment never happened. Instead, it helps you change how you respond, so you can remember without feeling overwhelmed.
The goal is to keep the memory, lose the pain.
How Does ART Work?
Two things set ART apart from most traditional talk therapy.
First, it’s brief. ART is designed to focus on one memory or problem at a time, and some people notice a meaningful shift within just a few sessions.
Second, you don’t have to tell your whole story. Your therapist guides the process, but you can keep the details of your memory private if you want. For someone who’s spent years avoiding a painful story—or who’s already told that story more times than they can count—that can be a welcome relief.
But you might be wondering how ART actually helps. After all, how could following someone’s hand with your eyes possibly make a difference with something that’s been bothering you for years?
Fair question!
ART combines two main techniques to help reduce the distress connected to painful memories: guided eye movements and image replacement.
Guided Eye Movements: Helping Your Body Settle
During ART, your therapist moves their hand slowly back and forth while you follow it with your eyes. At the same time, you’ll be invited to bring a particular memory to mind and notice how your body responds.
Maybe your jaw clenches. Your stomach drops. Your chest feels tight.
That’s because difficult experiences don’t always affect us through thoughts alone. Our bodies can react to reminders of past events, even when we know we’re safe now.
Your therapist will guide you through sets of eye movements as you notice those sensations and work toward reducing their intensity.
Researchers are still studying exactly how this process works. The eye movements, guided memory processing, and imagery techniques may all help people feel less distressed by painful memories.
Image Replacement: Changing the Feeling, Not the Facts
Here’s where ART gets especially interesting.
Once you’ve worked through some of the physical distress connected to a memory, your therapist may guide you to imagine the scene differently.
Maybe you picture yourself receiving the help you needed. Perhaps you imagine a safer ending, a different response, or having the strength and support you wish you’d had at the time.
This technique is called image replacement, and it’s one of the distinctive features of ART.
Now, before you wonder whether you’re supposed to convince yourself that something different happened, don’t worry. That’s not the goal.
You still know exactly what happened. You’re simply using your imagination, with your therapist’s guidance, to change how you experience the memory today.
Think of it as changing the emotional soundtrack to a scene you’ve watched a thousand times. The events haven’t changed, but the experience of remembering them may begin to feel different.
And that’s really the heart of ART. You don’t have to forget what happened to find relief from how it feels.
So what does all of this actually look like when you’re sitting across from a therapist? Let’s walk through what you can expect during an ART session.
What Happens in an ART Session?
Trying a new kind of therapy can feel intimidating, especially when you’re not sure what to expect.
The good news? You don’t have to show up knowing how ART works or what you’re supposed to do. Your therapist will guide you through it.
And usually, you don’t start with ART on your first visit.
First, you’ll get to know your therapist, discuss what brings you in, what you’re hoping will change, and whether ART is the right fit for you.
Your therapist will also make sure you have some ways to steady yourself during the process and what might help you feel comfortable and supported. Sometimes that means spending a little time developing coping skills or learning ways to manage overwhelming emotions before beginning memory work.
That groundwork isn’t a delay. It’s what makes the ART session safe and effective when you get there.
When you’re ready, an ART session typically lasts about 60 to 75 minutes.
Your therapist will explain how it works, answer your questions, and help you choose one particular memory, image, or problem to focus on. Then you’ll start with a set of eye movements to settle in.
From there, you’ll move through the memory in a structured way. Notice the scene. Notice what your body does. Use eye movements to let those sensations pass. Then replace the images with ones that feel better.
You don’t have to describe every detail of the memory. In fact, you can keep much of it private if you prefer.
Your therapist will check in throughout the process and help you adjust the pace as needed.
You stay awake, aware, and in charge. You can stop at any time. If a memory feels too big, your therapist can help you approach it in smaller pieces.
Some people notice a significant reduction in distress after a session. Others need more time or additional sessions to work through a particular experience.
You may feel relieved, emotional, tired, or simply ready for a little quiet afterward. Experiences vary, and your therapist can help you understand what to expect. But many describe the result as feeling like the memory has finally moved into the past where it belongs.
Who Might Benefit from ART?
ART is best known for helping people with trauma and PTSD.
But when people hear the word trauma, they sometimes picture only the most extreme experiences: combat, serious accidents, or life-threatening events.
And yes, ART has been studied as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
But painful memories don’t always fit neatly into what we think of as major trauma.
Sometimes it’s the embarrassing moment from middle school that still makes your stomach drop. The relationship that left you questioning your worth. The medical experience you can’t stop replaying. Or a loss that changed the way you see the world.
You don’t need to compare your experience with anyone else’s to decide if it’s worth talking about. Most of the memories that keep people up at night are more personal and closer to home, and ART can help with those too.
People often try ART for:
- Trauma and PTSD: Distressing memories, flashbacks, or emotional reactions connected to past experiences.
- Anxiety and panic: Especially when symptoms are connected to a particular event or memory.
- Grief and loss: Painful images or memories that make it difficult to move forward after a loss.
- Childhood experiences: Memories that continue to affect confidence, relationships, or emotional well-being.
- Accidents and medical trauma: Distressing experiences involving injuries, procedures, emergencies, or difficult births.
- Phobias and fears: Intense reactions associated with specific experiences or situations.
- Intrusive thoughts or images: Unwanted memories or mental pictures that repeatedly interrupt daily life.
- Anger or emotional triggers: Strong reactions that may be connected to unresolved experiences.
Some people come with one specific memory they want to work on. Others realize, once they start, that a current struggle is tied to something older. Both are good reasons to reach out.
ART can also work alongside other therapy techniques. Someone might spend most of their sessions in regular counseling and use ART for a few sessions to clear a specific memory that keeps getting in the way.
And remember, you don’t have to be in crisis to ask for help.
If something from your past keeps interfering with your present, that’s worth paying attention to.
ART Therapy at Redwood Family Therapy
At Redwood Family Therapy, we believe there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to mental health.
That’s why we take time to understand you, your experiences, and what you’re hoping to get out of therapy.
Jenn Lenker, MS, LMFT, is trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy and works with adults navigating trauma, anxiety, grief, and difficult life transitions.
Jenn also incorporates approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and the Gottman Method.
In other words, she has more than one tool in her therapy toolbox.
Together, you can explore whether ART might be helpful on its own or as part of a broader approach to therapy.
If faith is an important part of how you understand your experiences, Jenn can make room for that in your work together. And if faith isn’t part of your life, that’s welcome too.
ART is one approach among several at Redwood. Our team also offers EMDR and other trauma therapies, and part of your first conversation with Jenn is figuring out which fit makes the most sense for you. She won’t jump straight into ART on day one. You’ll get to know each other first, and you’ll decide together. You don’t need to know any of that going in. That’s her job.
You can learn more about Jenn’s background and approach on her therapist bio page.
A Few Practical Details
Redwood Family Therapy focuses on individualized care and continuity with your therapist.
We offer in-person appointments in Saratoga Springs, Utah, along with virtual therapy services across Utah, Idaho, and Arizona, where the clinician is authorized to practice. Evening appointments are available until 9 PM.
When you contact us, we’ll be happy to answer your questions, explain what to expect, and let you know about Jenn’s availability.
If there’s a memory you’re tired of carrying, you can book a first conversation online, or call or text us at 801-341-1919, whichever is easier. No pressure, no commitment.
Just a place to find out whether this is the right next step.
Frequently Asked Questions About ART Therapy
What does ART stand for?
ART stands for Accelerated Resolution Therapy. It’s a structured, brief form of therapy that uses eye movements and guided imagery to help painful memories feel less intense.
Is ART the same as art therapy with painting and drawing?
No, and the name can be confusing. Accelerated Resolution Therapy doesn’t involve any artwork. It’s a guided, eye-movement approach for processing hard memories.
How is ART different from EMDR?
The two are close cousins. Both use eye movements to help the brain process distressing memories, and both are used for trauma. EMDR has been studied for decades and is recommended in the major PTSD treatment guidelines. ART is newer, with promising early research, and some people prefer its shorter, more structured format and its focus on deliberately replacing painful images. A therapist can help you decide which makes sense for you. You can read more in our post on EMDR therapy.
How many ART sessions will I need?
It depends on what you’re working on. Expect a session or two of getting to know each other and building a foundation before any ART work begins. From there, ART addresses one memory or problem at a time, and many people notice a real shift in that memory within a few sessions. If you’re working through several experiences, it may take longer. Your therapist will talk through what to expect after your first conversation.
Do I have to talk about what happened?
Not if you don’t want to. ART is designed so your therapist can guide the process without you having to describe the details out loud.
Is ART hypnosis?
No. You stay awake, alert, and in control the entire time.
Will ART make me forget the memory?
No. You’ll still remember what happened. The goal is for the memory to stop carrying the same fear, grief, or shame when it comes up.
Do I need to have “real trauma” to try ART?
No. Plenty of people use ART for all types and sizes of difficult memories and experiences. If it keeps coming back and keeps affecting you, that’s reason enough.
Is ART right for me?
The best way to find out is to talk with a trained therapist. ART may be a good fit if a specific memory or image keeps affecting your daily life, your sleep, or your relationships, and talking about it hasn’t been enough.