Brittani Antunes, MC, LPC
Jan 303 min
Updated: Feb 27
Let’s be honest, it doesn’t sound like fun to start trauma therapy. I get it. Perhaps we can make it less daunting by empowering you with information about the options.
There are different types of trauma therapy out there, finding the right fit for you can save a lot of time and emotional energy. I’m going to talk about the two types I know best and use with people every day. Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). They are certainly similar in some ways and different in others, how is one supposed to know which one to choose?
Short answer- You don’t.
(well at least if you work with me because I can talk through it with you and we can choose together). I also love making a special blend of the two :)
Longer answer- Both methods are really great, productive, and effective but they have different strengths so it depends on what you’re looking for.
Before I share my opinions on this topic, it's only fair for you to know where these thoughts are coming from so let me take a brief detour to convey how regularly I use both of these methods.
o I am certified in EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
o I have been using it with the majority of my clients since 2017
o I have continuously attended additional trainings since then
o I lead a monthly group with other EMDR therapists to discuss techniques + protocols
o I have gone through EMDR personally and have first-hand experience of the benefits
o I was trained in ART in 2019
o I have used this to completely treat uncountable traumas/events for those it was a good fit for. Also using it as an option for the majority of the people I work with
o I constantly engage in the community of other ART therapists to keep my on my toes
o I have also gone through ART myself and to this day have zero emotional or physical reaction when I recall a scary trauma that occurred in my childhood.
Ok, so here are my thoughts about the differences between each trauma therapy approach:
*Note that other therapists have different specialities and, therefore, may have different opinions on how they personally use each method. I specialize in treating traumas and micro-traumas (smaller events that feel big but you may not think to call a 'trauma').
Overall,
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is the most helpful if you have a memory of an experience (big or small) that you could essentially play in your in your mind and you're wanting that memory to stop replaying in your mind and/or causing you emotional and physical discomfort. It works very quickly, is very body focused, and I feel it does an outstanding job at getting relief at the deepest level.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is more helpful if you have a chapter of your life with various related experiences, not just one, that you're wanting to heal from. It's more thorough in sorting out the thoughts that you have surrounding the events (the 'Why me's', 'Did I cause this?', 'How could this happen?', 'I'm a bad person' type thoughts). Doing the more thorough process does tend to take longer and may require more coping skills to manage emotions in-between sessions.
Both work. Both are really great at healing from traumas and micro-traumas.
Want to start Accelerated Resolution Therapy or EMDR?
Let's do this, I'll guide you the whole way.
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