Accelerated resolution therapy (ART): Clinical considerations, cautions, and informed consent for military mental health clinicians
Description
Introduction This document provides information concerning potential advantages of ART over other trauma-focused therapies, clinical considerations, safety, and information concerning informed consent for prospective ART clients being treated in military treatment facilities.
Although there has only been one randomized controlled clinical trial of ART for the treatment of PTSD1 and several case reports/case series,2-5 ART has firm roots in traumafocused psychotherapies that have an extensive evidence-base.6,7 Though the structure and protocols of ART are different, the principles and theory behind other trauma-focused therapies, particularly EMDR, completely support the approach ART takes to trauma recovery. ART incorporates the same core components of A-level trauma-focused psychotherapies accepted as standard of care, such as CPT, PE, and EMDR, including desensitization through imaginal exposure, in-vitro/in-vivo exposure, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation.6,7 However, ART delivers these components in a unique way that appears to represent an important evolution in the development of trauma-focused therapies.
Like other trauma-focused therapies, ART treatment sessions can sometimes produce abreactions as part of the healing process, including accessing primitive emotions and physical sensations, as they were experienced at the time of earlier life traumas. ART procedures are designed to assist the client in finding immediate relief from these reactions during the session. Nevertheless, clinicians who utilize ART techniques should have the training, knowledge, clinical experience, and comfort in delivering trauma-focused psychotherapies in which such reactions may occur.
As long as mental health clinicians are licensed to practice independently and are comfortable delivering more established trauma-focused therapies in which strong emotional reactions may arise during or between treatment sessions, there is no reason not to consider ART techniques within the range of acceptable options for delivering the corecomponents of evidence-based treatment. The same cautions and clinical considerations that apply to other therapies apply to ART.
Although there has only been one randomized controlled clinical trial of ART for the treatment of PTSD1 and several case reports/case series,2-5 ART has firm roots in traumafocused psychotherapies that have an extensive evidence-base.6,7 Though the structure and protocols of ART are different, the principles and theory behind other trauma-focused therapies, particularly EMDR, completely support the approach ART takes to trauma recovery. ART incorporates the same core components of A-level trauma-focused psychotherapies accepted as standard of care, such as CPT, PE, and EMDR, including desensitization through imaginal exposure, in-vitro/in-vivo exposure, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation.6,7 However, ART delivers these components in a unique way that appears to represent an important evolution in the development of trauma-focused therapies.
Like other trauma-focused therapies, ART treatment sessions can sometimes produce abreactions as part of the healing process, including accessing primitive emotions and physical sensations, as they were experienced at the time of earlier life traumas. ART procedures are designed to assist the client in finding immediate relief from these reactions during the session. Nevertheless, clinicians who utilize ART techniques should have the training, knowledge, clinical experience, and comfort in delivering trauma-focused psychotherapies in which such reactions may occur.
As long as mental health clinicians are licensed to practice independently and are comfortable delivering more established trauma-focused therapies in which strong emotional reactions may arise during or between treatment sessions, there is no reason not to consider ART techniques within the range of acceptable options for delivering the corecomponents of evidence-based treatment. The same cautions and clinical considerations that apply to other therapies apply to ART.
Format
Other
Language
English
Original Work Citation
Hoge, C. W. (2015, February). Accelerated resolution therapy (ART): Clinical considerations, cautions, and informed consent for military mental health clinicians. Author. Retrieved from http://acceleratedresolutiontherapy.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ART-vs-EMDR_by-Hoge.pdf
Citation
“Accelerated resolution therapy (ART): Clinical considerations, cautions, and informed consent for military mental health clinicians,” Francine Shapiro Library, accessed May 11, 2024, https://francineshapirolibrary.omeka.net/items/show/24076.