Accelerated Resolution Therapy in Encino, CA
When Talking About It Hasn't Been Enough
There is something you have been carrying for a long time. Maybe you know exactly what it is. Maybe it lives more in your body than in words: a tightness, a flinch, a response that shows up in situations that shouldn't still bother you as much as they do.
You may have tried talking about it. Maybe that helped a little, or helped with some things but not this particular thing. Maybe you started to go there in a session and pulled back, because going there felt like too much.
What you're looking for is a way to get relief without having to take the whole thing apart out loud. That is not avoidance. That is a completely reasonable thing to want.
- You can function, but there is something underneath that you haven't been able to reach
- Certain situations, images, or memories still pull at you in ways that are hard to explain
- You've heard that therapy requires you to talk through everything in detail and that has kept you from starting
If this feels familiar, you're not alone.
What ART Therapy Actually Is in Plain Language
Accelerated Resolution Therapy, or ART, is an evidence-based approach that helps the nervous system reprocess distressing memories. It uses gentle bilateral eye movements, your eyes moving back and forth, similar to what happens naturally during REM sleep, to help the brain file a difficult memory differently.
The memory does not disappear. You still have access to the facts of what happened. What changes is the charge the memory carries. Instead of triggering a stress response every time it surfaces, it becomes something you can recall without being pulled back into it.
ART was developed by Laney Rosenzweig and has a growing evidence base for trauma, anxiety, depression, and a range of distressing experiences. Most clients experience meaningful relief within 1 to 5 sessions.
Who Tends to Benefit From Accelerated Resolution Therapy in Encino
ART may be helpful if you are dealing with:
- A memory or image that keeps surfacing and affecting your daily life
- Anxiety or depression rooted in specific past experiences
- Grief that feels stuck, a loss you have not been able to move through
ART also works well as a standalone option for people already in therapy who want targeted help with one specific area.
What an ART Session Actually Looks Like
Before any eye movement work begins, we spend time together getting oriented. You are in control of what we approach and when. Nothing happens without your awareness and agreement.
When we begin working with a memory, you hold it loosely in mind; you do not need to describe it in detail. From there, we use a set of guided eye movements while you stay in contact with the material. Your nervous system does most of the work.
The experience tends to be quieter than people expect. Many clients describe it as a gradual softening; the memory becomes less vivid, less distressing, and less urgent.
Sessions run 50 minutes to 90 minutes depending on what we're working on, available in person in Encino or online across California and Illinois.
Why ART Is Central to How I Work With Clients
License: LCSW 72275 (CA) / 149.014806 (IL)
I am a certified ART practitioner and a member of IS-ART, the International Society of Accelerated Resolution Therapy. My reason for using it is what I kept watching happen, and not happen, in traditional talk therapy.
Many of my clients are carrying things they have never fully named out loud. Talk therapy is valuable, but asking someone to narrate a traumatic experience in detail has real limits. ART gave me a way to work with the part of the memory that lives in the body rather than just the story a client can put into words.
I have used it with clients working through social anxiety, grief, car accidents, sexual trauma, childhood experiences with difficult parents, and memories that had simply never been touched in years of other treatment.
The ART Therapy Process — What Clients Experience Working Together
You stay aware throughout. You are not hypnotized. You are not asked to go somewhere you have said you do not want to go. The eye movements are guided and rhythmic. Most people noticed the intensity of the material shifting as we worked; something that felt sharp or urgent became softer, less charged, and more distant. You leave the session with the facts of what happened intact. What tends to change is how much space it takes up, and how much it pulls at you when it surfaces.
Stay in Control
You remain fully aware and never go somewhere you’re uncomfortable.
Gentle, Guided Eye Movements
Rhythmic movements help intense feelings soften and become less charged.
Facts Stay, Impact Shifts
Memories stay intact, but their pull and space in your mind lessen.
Concerns ART May Be Helpful For
ART is an evidence-based approach that is recognized for helping people find relief quickly. While every person’s journey is unique, this focused work can create profound and lasting shifts.
Less Avoidance
You may find certain situations pulling at you less.
More Breathing Room
Some clients notice more space between memory and response.
Something Finally Shifts
Many clients find relief in places once out of reach.
How to Know If Accelerated Resolution Therapy Might Be Worth Exploring
ART tends to be a strong fit if there is something specific, a memory, an image, or a stuck emotional response that you want to address without going through it in full narrative detail. It is also well-suited for adjunct work: if you already have a therapist you are happy with and simply want targeted help in one area, we can work together for 1 to 5 sessions, and you continue your existing care.
The best way to know is to ask. The free consultation is the right place to talk through whether this feels like a fit.
Starting ART Therapy Is a Clear and Simple Path
Because ART is such a focused process, getting started is very straightforward. I want you to feel clear and comfortable every step of the way.
1.
Reach Out to Inquire
Send me a confidential email or message letting me know you are interested in ART. This begins a no-pressure conversation.
2.
Have a Free Consultation
We’ll have a brief call to discuss what you’re hoping to work on. This helps us ensure ART is the right approach for you at this time.
3.
Begin Your ART Sessions
If it feels like a great fit, we will schedule our first session to begin the work of helping you find relief, either online or in my Encino office.
Frequently Asked Questions About Accelerated Resolution Therapy
Do I have to describe what happened in detail?
No. You hold the memory internally during the session, but you do not need to narrate it to me. Many clients find this is the deciding factor, they were willing to try ART specifically because they did not have to recount everything out loud.
How many sessions does ART typically take?
Most clients experience meaningful relief within 1 to 5 sessions. The number depends on what we are working on and how it responds.
Can I use ART if I'm already working with another therapist?
Yes. I offer adjunct ART sessions specifically for this situation, typically 1 to 5 sessions focused on one particular memory or stuck point. You continue your work with your existing therapist.
Is ART available online?
Yes. ART can be conducted effectively via secure video session for anyone in California or Illinois.
Are you certified in ART?
Yes. I am a certified ART practitioner and a member of IS-ART, the International Society of Accelerated Resolution Therapy.
Ready to Explore ART Therapy in Encino?
You do not have to be sure this is right for you before reaching out. The free 15-minute consultation is exactly the place to ask questions and figure out together whether ART makes sense. There is no pressure and nothing you have to share before you are ready.