A brief and effective treatment for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), called accelerated resolution therapy (ART), will likely be welcomed by both PTSD patients and treatment professionals. The initial randomized trial using ART within the military population gave significant, positive results.
“Based on this trial and an earlier study completed at the USF College of Nursing, we believe that accelerated resolution therapy may provide the quickest way to effectively and safely treat post traumatic stress disorder,” said researcher Dr. Kevin Kip, PhD, FAHA.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
ART utilizes aspects of evidence-based psychotherapy and eye movements to help people alleviate symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
This method has two parts:
- First, the individual visualizes—or pictures in their mind—the traumatic event related to their symptoms. This typically triggers some physical and emotional discomfort. The client’s eyes follow the clinician’s hand moving in a back and forth motion evoking left to right eye movements, as the clinician and client engage in talk therapy.
- Then, using the method described in step one the client substitutes a positive image for the distressing one in such a way that the traumatic image is no longer available for access. The ART process requires two to five one-hour long sessions.
PTSD and ART
The PTSD Foundation of America reports that one out of three returning troops suffers symptoms of PTSD and fewer than 40 percent of them acquire help. They may experience nightmares, flashbacks from the traumatic event, problems sleeping, low interest in life, and mood swings. Many current therapies for PTSD are long term and provide mixed results.
ART therapy is successful in toning down the physiological symptoms associated with re-experiencing a horrific event. It also allows individuals to replace disturbing images, or change them by adding positive material so they are remembered differently.
“Accelerated resolution therapy is giving hope to many veterans who felt like they had not hope,” reports Lt. Col. Lawrence Braue, EdD, USF Office of Veterans Services. “I look forward to the day when this treatment is widely available across the country.”
Source: Medical News Today
