IFS

Why I Think ART is the Most Powerful Trauma Technique

For nearly 15 years, I was on a quest to find a trauma intervention that could FULLY help clients heal from past traumas. I knew this journey was largely mine to pursue, as my graduate program at San Diego State University (like most Master’s in Counseling programs) didn’t offer the specialized training I needed to provide the level of healing I envisioned.

I didn’t want to merely to help clients manage symptoms, cope with lingering fear or reframe the trauma. I knew in my heart that a technique existed that could convince the mind, body and spirit that the bad event was TRULY behind them…I just didn’t know where to look.

Like many therapists, I started with the best tools available at the time. In 2013, I enrolled in my first EMDR training. Back then, EMDR was widely regarded as the cutting-edge therapy for trauma. I was hopeful. But after working with a handful of clients, I realized it wasn’t the magic bullet I’d been seeking. For many, it felt cumbersome and unstructured. It also triggered dissociation and intense reactions that the training didn’t fully prepare new practitioners to manage.

Over the years, I explored other trauma-focused modalities—some helped with emotional regulation, others were excellent for uncovering unconscious material—but none offered a clear, complete healing process.

Then, in 2020, I began studying Internal Family Systems (IFS), which became a turning point in my practice. IFS provided a semi-structured, compassionate way to work with traumatized parts, resonating deeply with both my clients and my own philosophy of healing. I’ve been using IFS for over five years now and still find it incredibly valuable. But like any depth-oriented therapy, it can take months or even years for clients to complete the process.

It was within IFS circles that I first heard whispers about another approach: Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). Some colleagues were using it alongside IFS, reporting powerful results. Intrigued, I did what any curious therapist would—I dove down the YouTube rabbit hole. I found compelling videos of clients who, after just one ART session, felt free from trauma that had haunted them for years.

I had to learn more. So, I quickly signed up for a training.

I’ll admit I approached it with healthy skepticism. ART uses eye movements similar to EMDR, and my earlier EMDR experience had tempered my expectations. But during the practicum, something surprising happened. We practiced ART on each other, and I chose to work on a painful loss I’d carried for over ten years. Despite trying other healing methods, I hadn’t been able to fully resolve the guilt and grief.

To my astonishment, by the end of the session, the pain had lifted. I could think about the memory without that familiar ache in my chest or the tears welling up. It felt like a true miracle. More than a year later, after that ART session, I continue to feel neutral—instead of completely devastated—about that event.

After the training, I was eager to integrate ART into my practice. Since then, I’ve offered hundreds of ART sessions and witnessed incredible outcomes. One client, terrified to drive after a car accident, regained her confidence after just two sessions. Another, healing from severe childhood abuse, experienced profound shifts—more motivation, fewer emotional flashbacks, and an improved ability to focus on her present life.

So, what exactly is ART?

Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a brief, evidence-based modality that helps clients reprocess traumatic memories using rapid eye movements and a technique called Voluntary Image Replacement (VIR). It’s not talk therapy—though clients can share as much or as little as they want. Instead, it guides clients to resolve disturbing images and sensations linked to trauma, often in as few as one to five sessions.

Developed in 2008 by Laney Rosenzweig, ART is recognized as an effective treatment for PTSD, anxiety, depression, phobias, and grief. Grounded in neuroscience—particularly how our brains process images and emotions—it offers a structured, step-by-step protocol that feels safe and manageable.

One of ART’s most empowering aspects is how quickly clients regain control over their inner world. Unlike traditional therapies that can take months of narrative exploration, ART focuses on shifting the brain’s response to specific memories. Clients often leave sessions feeling lighter, clearer, and no longer hijacked by the past.

Why I believe in ART

As a therapist, I’ve always believed healing shouldn’t have to take forever. Yes, some wounds need time. Yes, integration is a journey. But when a tool exists that can bring relief in hours instead of years, it deserves attention.

ART has become one of the most powerful tools in my trauma toolbox. If you’re struggling with painful memories, stuck patterns, or emotional triggers that won’t loosen their grip, ART might be exactly what your system needs.

Curious about ART or want to see if it’s a fit for you? Feel free to reach out. I’m happy to share more about how this remarkable therapy might support your healing.

So, What Exactly Is IFS?

Internal Family Systems, or known more commonly as IFS or Parts Work, is a model developed over the last two decades by psychotherapist Dr. Richard Schwartz. It’s based on the concept that our psyche is made up of multiple parts or sub-personalities—a concept known as multiplicity, which many people already relate to.

IFS organizes these parts into two main categories:

Protectors (Firefighters and Managers): These parts work to prevent or extinguish distress. They often drive behaviors like addiction, control, or people-pleasing.

Exiles: These are parts of us that have been locked away in the subconscious. Protectors typically keep them hidden because they hold immense pain or are seen as unacceptable, either personally or culturally.

Additionally, IFS emphasizes the role of the Self, an inner energy that embodies calm, compassion, and curiosity.

The concept of the Self isn’t new. It’s known by other names in religious traditions and therapeutic practices, such as Buddha Nature or Wise Mind.

In IFS, we invite the Self to facilitate inner dialogues. Rather than letting conflicting parts battle it out, IFS taps into this wise energy to understand all sides and help bring about resolution.

Why Do Therapy Clients Love IFS?

I believe IFS is one of the most sought-after therapy models today because it’s a psycho-somatic-spiritual approach.

Somatic: IFS allows parts to show up in the body through sensations, thoughts, or images, making it easier for clients to identify their parts during sessions without relying solely on rational analysis.

Spiritual: IFS recognizes that some of our suffering stems from energies that we’ve absorbed from other people, family systems, cultural beliefs and sometimes unknown sources. We are porous and can be easily impacted by surrounding energies and emotions.

The IFS process allows spiritual clients to connect with familial energies to heal intergenerational trauma. Some, though not all, IFS practitioners also guide clients to connect with spiritual guides as part of their healing process. These steps are naturally integrated and not considered taboo within the model.

Having practiced IFS for four years now, I’ve noticed several key differences compared to other approaches:

Clients find this therapy more engaging and insightful.

They become more committed to therapy, thanks to IFS’s structure and clear goals.

Clients cultivate deeper compassion for themselves.

They easily integrate the IFS model into their lives, through meditation, journaling, and self-reflection.

With IFS, therapy is no longer just about fixing a problem. It becomes a compassionate exploration of all the parts that make us who we are, ultimately allowing us to live more harmoniously.