ART Therapy
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) in North Carolina
Results in 1–5 sessions. You stay in control the entire time. You don't have to describe what happened.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a trauma-focused approach that works faster than most, and differently than most. Tracey Stracener, LCMHCS, offers ART via telehealth throughout North Carolina and is trained in both ART and EMDR, which is uncommon.
Schedule a Free ConsultationFree 15-minute call · Telehealth · North Carolina
What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is an evidence-based therapy that uses bilateral eye movements and voluntary image replacement to rapidly shift the emotional charge of traumatic memories. Developed in 2008, ART typically produces significant results in 1–5 sessions and does not require you to describe the trauma in detail.
ART was developed by Laney Rosenzweig in 2008, building on research from EMDR but taking the approach in a more directive, faster-moving direction. Like EMDR, it uses bilateral eye movements (following a guided cue) to engage both hemispheres of the brain. But ART adds something EMDR doesn't: voluntary image replacement.
After the eye movements begin to shift the emotional charge of a memory, ART invites you to actively replace the image you hold, not to pretend something didn't happen, but to change what you see when you think about it. You stay in control of what the replacement becomes.
The result is that clients often walk out of a session no longer seeing the trauma image the way they did when they walked in. The facts don't change. What the memory feels like does.
How ART Works
An ART session is structured and specific. Here's what typically happens:
Identify the target
You identify a specific memory, image, physical sensation, or experience you want to address. No detail required. Just name it generally.
Guided eye movements
You follow Tracey's hand (or a visual cue on screen for telehealth) with your eyes. Sets of bilateral eye movements begin to shift the emotional intensity connected to the target.
Rescene / image replacement
You're guided to replace the image you were holding with something of your own choosing. This is not denial. It's deliberate reshaping. You control what it becomes.
Sensations check
Attention goes to the body, and any remaining physical tension or sensations associated with the memory are addressed directly.
Closure and integration
The session ends with the target fully processed and the new image installed. You leave differently than you arrived.
ART vs. EMDR: How to Choose
Both use bilateral stimulation. Both are evidence-based for trauma. Both are available via telehealth. The differences are in structure, pacing, and the role you play.
| ART | EMDR | |
|---|---|---|
| Pace | Fast, often 1–5 sessions | 8-phase protocol, typically longer |
| Structure | Directive (therapist guides more actively) | Client-led (you direct the processing) |
| Memory detail | You don't describe it | You don't describe it |
| Unique element | Voluntary image replacement | Adaptive resolution of beliefs |
| Best for | Defined targets, faster resolution | Complex/multiple traumas, belief work |
| Both good for | PTSD, anxiety, grief, phobias | PTSD, anxiety, grief, phobias |
The honest answer is that the "best" choice depends on your specific situation: what you're working on, how you process, and what feels more aligned with how you think. In a free consultation, Tracey can help you figure out which direction makes sense, or recommend starting with one and adjusting.
Very few therapists in North Carolina are trained in both ART and EMDR. Having both available means your treatment doesn't have to fit a single framework.
What ART Treats
ART is research-supported for a wide range of presentations:
PTSD and trauma
Anxiety and panic
Depression
Grief and loss
Phobias
Performance anxiety
Physical pain associated with trauma
Anger
Difficult memories that won't fade
Addiction and substance use (as adjunct)
Job stress and burnout
Relationship pain
Fees, Insurance, and Availability
ART sessions are covered by Aetna, NC State Health Plan, and BlueCross BlueShield of NC. The self-pay rate is $180 per session; $215 for the intake. Available anywhere in North Carolina via telehealth: Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Greensboro, Charlotte, Asheville, and beyond. If your plan isn't listed, you may still have out-of-network benefits — Tracey provides a superbill after each session. Learn how out-of-network coverage works →
Curious Whether ART Is Right for You?
The free 15-minute consultation is a good place to ask. Tracey can explain exactly what an ART session looks like, help you compare it to EMDR, and tell you honestly which approach she'd recommend for what you're carrying.
Schedule a Free ConsultationAetna · NC State Health Plan · BCBS · Telehealth · North Carolina