Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) in Austin, TX
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a structured psychotherapy that uses guided imagery and sets of eye movements to help reduce distress connected to traumatic memories and emotional triggers. Detailed verbal retelling is not required, and treatment suitability is assessed individually.
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What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is an evidence-based trauma intervention that reduces the physiological and emotional charge of distressing memories. It does not require prolonged narrative exposure. The focus is on resolving the stored activation that persists even when insight is already present.
Who Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy For?
- Adults carrying unresolved trauma, anxiety, or panic
- Those experiencing PTSD, phobias, or emotional triggers tied to specific memories
- High-functioning individuals who feel stuck despite years of talk therapy
- Anyone seeking a gentle, body-aware path to healing, without reliving the pain
What they say
Women's Mental Health
Women’s mental health care in Austin provides personalized psychiatric evaluation and treatment for the emotional and hormonal changes that can affect well-being throughout every stage of life. Care is tailored to identify the underlying factors influencing symptoms and create a treatment plan that supports lasting mental wellness.
OCD Specialist
OCD specialist care in Austin takes a whole-person approach by evaluating the biological and neurological factors that may contribute to obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Personalized treatment plans are designed to support long-term mental wellness and improved daily functioning.
Source Psychiatric Care
A full-spectrum approach to mental health. We combine traditional psychiatric tools with root-cause diagnostics, lifestyle medicine, and personalized protocols — because true healing requires more than just medication.
Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
A guided ketamine-based approach that supports deep emotional processing, helping you work through trauma, gain clarity, and create lasting change within a safe, structured psychiatric care setting Focused on safety and integration and care.
ADHD
Comprehensive ADHD psychiatric care in Austin focused on accurate diagnosis, medication management, and personalized treatment plans. We help improve focus, organization, and daily functioning through structured, evidence-based support.
Anxiety
Anxiety psychiatric care in Austin focused on identifying root causes of worry, panic, and restlessness. Treatment includes thorough evaluation and personalized plans that may include medication and integrative strategies to restore balance and relief.
Trauma
Trauma psychiatric care in Austin focused on understanding how trauma affects the nervous system, emotions, and daily life. Treatment is trauma-informed and may include structured evaluation, medication, and integrative approaches for deep healing and stability.
Perinatal
Perinatal psychiatric care in Austin focused on mental health before, during, and after pregnancy. Treatment supports anxiety, mood changes, and emotional overwhelm with personalized evaluation, medication options, and integrative support for mothers and new parents.
DNA Methylation
DNA methylation psychiatry in Austin uses advanced genetic and epigenetic insights to understand how gene expression affects mood, energy, and mental health. Care is personalized to uncover biological patterns and guide targeted, integrative treatment.
How Your Care Unfolds
This diagram carries no prices by design — see the sections above and below for exact figures.
How Accelerated Resolution Therapy Works
We Identify the Target
Together, we choose a specific memory, trigger, or emotional pattern to address. You don’t have to retell the entire story — just enough to access what’s held in your body.
We Begin the Eye Movement Protocol
You’ll follow my hand with your eyes while we track and shift the physical sensations connected to the memory. As the nervous system calms, emotional intensity begins to fade.
We Rescript the Memory
Using imagery, we gently replace distressing mental pictures with new, empowering ones, allowing the brain to update how it stores the experience. Throughout the session, you remain in control. You don’t forget what happened, but the charge it held no longer dominates your body or emotions.
LAUREN WILLIAMS, M.D. Accelerated Resolution Therapist
Board-Certified Psychiatrist | Functional Medicine Trained | Trauma-Informed
I don’t believe in treating people like a checklist of symptoms.
I believe in slowing down — enough to hear the full story your mind and body are trying to tell. My care is shaped by years of clinical training, a deep respect for the nervous system, and an unwavering commitment to seeing the whole person sitting across from me. This isn’t fast-track psychiatry. It’s intentional, soul-led work for those who are ready to understand what’s underneath — and finally heal.
ART Within Psychiatric Care vs. Stand-Alone Trauma Therapy
Accelerated Resolution Therapy can be offered in different care settings. At Source Psychiatry, Dr. Lauren Williams can incorporate ART into a broader psychiatric plan, allowing trauma symptoms, physical responses, medications, medical history, and ongoing mental health needs to be considered together.
| Care Area | ART With Dr. Lauren Williams at Source Psychiatry | Stand-Alone Trauma Therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical setting | ART is provided by a board-certified psychiatrist with functional medicine training and a trauma-informed approach. | Therapy is generally delivered within a counseling or psychotherapy-focused setting. |
| Starting assessment | Care begins with a detailed clinical history session and physician evaluation before the treatment plan is finalized. | The initial assessment may focus mainly on the trauma, memory, or symptom being addressed in therapy. |
| Treatment fit | Dr. Williams assesses whether ART is appropriate for the individual before including it in care. | ART may be offered as the primary therapy after a standard mental health intake. |
| Trauma processing | Patients work with a specific memory, trigger, or emotional pattern without having to repeatedly describe the entire experience. | Some trauma therapies may involve more verbal discussion or repeated exploration of the experience. |
| Session method | Guided eye movements, physical sensation tracking, and imagery rescripting are used while the patient remains in control. | The method depends on the therapist and may rely more heavily on conversation, exposure, or coping exercises. |
| Broader health picture | Trauma symptoms can be considered alongside sleep, medications, medical history, nervous system responses, and other clinical factors. | The work may remain centered on emotional processing within the therapy session. |
| Ongoing care | ART may be combined with psychiatric follow-ups, medication management, baseline laboratory testing, or other targeted therapies when clinically indicated. | Additional psychiatric care, medication management, or medical testing may require coordination with separate providers. |
This difference may be especially helpful for adults who want to address a distressing memory while also receiving structured psychiatric care for anxiety, panic, PTSD symptoms, mood changes, sleep concerns, or other overlapping needs.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
Key research findings — systematic review of ART for adult PTSD, published 2024
Participants in Reviewed Studies
Accelerated Response Therapy: Frequently Asked Questions
Does accelerated resolution therapy actually work?
Yes, accelerated resolution therapy (ART) has been shown to be effective in treating trauma, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Many clients report noticeable relief after just one to five sessions, as ART works quickly by separating emotional pain from distressing memories.
What is the difference between EMDR and accelerated resolution therapy?
Both EMDR and ART use eye movements to process trauma, but ART is more directive and image-focused. Unlike EMDR, ART replaces distressing images with positive ones and often results in faster relief without requiring detailed retelling of the traumatic event.
What is the difference between EMDR and RTM therapy?
EMDR and RTM (Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories) are both trauma-focused therapies. EMDR processes trauma through bilateral stimulation and recall, while RTM uses imagery to reframe and “re-script” the memory. RTM tends to be gentler and avoids in-depth exposure to the trauma narrative.
What conditions can Accelerated Resolution Therapy treat?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is primarily used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and distress linked to traumatic memories. ART practitioners may also use it for anxiety, phobias, grief, depression, panic symptoms, and other trauma-related concerns. The strongest research currently supports ART for adult PTSD, while evidence for other conditions is still developing. A licensed clinician should assess whether ART is appropriate for your symptoms and treatment needs.
Why does ART help with emotional distress?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) may reduce emotional distress by combining guided memory recall, imagery rescripting, and lateral eye movements. These techniques help a person change the emotional and physical response connected to a distressing memory without erasing the memory itself. Researchers have not yet determined exactly which part of ART produces its effects, and the evidence is still developing.