Art Therapy in Jersey City: Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) as a Fast, Virtual Healing Alternative
If you’re looking up art therapy in Jersey City, chances are you’re hoping to find an approach that offers emotional healing, creative expression, and relief from trauma or anxiety. While traditional art therapy involves creating visual artwork to express feelings, there’s another option available for Jersey City residents that doesn’t require any artistic skill—Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART).
I’m Laura Geftman, LCSW, a trauma-informed therapist licensed in New Jersey, and I specialize in offering virtual ART sessions for individuals across the state—including Jersey City. ART is a research-supported, efficient, and empowering therapeutic method that can help people resolve trauma, anxiety, and other emotional pain in as few as 1–5 sessions.
This blog will help you understand:
The differences between ART and traditional art therapy
What Accelerated Resolution Therapy is and how it works
Research behind ART’s effectiveness
What to expect in virtual ART sessions
How to begin your healing journey from Jersey City
What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is a form of brief psychotherapy developed in 2008 that uses a combination of rapid eye movements, guided visualization, and voluntary image replacement to help individuals quickly reprocess distressing experiences.
ART draws from proven methods such as:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Memory reconsolidation techniques
Rather than requiring you to repeatedly talk about painful memories, ART allows you to resolve them at the neurobiological level, often within a few sessions. The result is a lighter emotional load, fewer symptoms, and a renewed sense of well-being.
ART vs. Traditional Art Therapy
When people in Jersey City search for “art therapy,” they might expect painting, sculpting, or drawing as part of the healing process. Traditional art therapy leverages creative processes for emotional expression, particularly useful for children or clients with difficulty verbalizing feelings.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy, however, is distinct. Instead of using physical materials, ART guides you through visual imagery in your mind’s eye to resolve trauma and emotional pain.
ART is ideal for Jersey City residents who want fast, evidence-based relief from trauma, without needing to engage in traditional artistic expression.
What ART Can Help With
ART has demonstrated strong effectiveness in treating a wide range of psychological and emotional concerns. These include:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Childhood trauma and complex trauma
Anxiety and panic attacks
Grief and loss
Depression
Phobias and fears
Low self-worth and body image concerns
OCD symptoms
Relationship trauma and attachment wounds
Medical trauma or chronic illness-related distress
By targeting and resolving the visual and emotional memories stored in the brain, ART allows individuals to experience relief from symptoms without retraumatization.
Scientific Evidence Supporting ART
Accelerated Resolution Therapy has been rigorously studied and validated by multiple peer-reviewed research articles.
Key Research:
Kip et al. (2013): A randomized controlled trial involving veterans found that ART was effective in significantly reducing symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Most participants reported major symptom relief after just a few sessions. 🔗 Read the study
Waits et al. (2017): This literature review summarized existing research and confirmed ART’s ability to deliver rapid relief from trauma-related symptoms. It concluded ART to be safe, fast, and effective. 🔗 Full article
Kip et al. (2016): This study found ART reduced both psychological and physical symptoms of PTSD and offered long-term improvement. 🔗 View the research
These results are consistent with what I see in practice: clients often report dramatic improvements in mood, sleep, and functioning within a few sessions.
Virtual ART Therapy for Jersey City Residents
I provide virtual Accelerated Resolution Therapy across New Jersey, including to individuals living in Jersey City. Online sessions offer a secure, convenient, and effective way to receive ART treatment from the comfort of your home.
Benefits of Virtual ART:
No commute or waiting rooms
Flexible scheduling, including evenings
HIPAA-compliant, secure video sessions
Same clinical effectiveness as in-person sessions
Access to specialized trauma therapy no matter where you live in NJ
All you need is a private space, stable internet connection, and a device with a camera.
What a Virtual ART Session Looks Like
1. Identifying the Issue
We start by selecting a distressing memory, emotion, or symptom to work on. You can choose how much or how little you want to share about it.
2. Eye Movements
While you recall the troubling memory, you’ll follow my fingers or an on-screen guide with your eyes. This mimics REM sleep and helps reprocess the experience.
3. Image Replacement
We guide you to create new mental images that feel peaceful, empowering, or calming. This process rewires how the memory is stored in your brain.
4. Reassessment
We revisit the issue to see if the distress has diminished. Most clients feel notable relief by the end of the session.
Sessions are typically 60–75 minutes long and spaced weekly or biweekly depending on your needs.
Why Jersey City Residents Choose ART
With its fast pace and high demands, Jersey City life can leave little time for long-term therapy. ART is ideal for:
Professionals managing work-related stress or burnout
Parents struggling with parenting stress or past trauma
Students dealing with academic anxiety or performance pressure
Survivors of trauma seeking gentle but effective healing
ART offers a compassionate, accelerated path to wellness that fits even the busiest schedules.
Meet Your Therapist: Laura Geftman, LCSW
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in New Jersey, also licensed in Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York. I specialize in trauma-informed care and have advanced training in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART).
My therapeutic style is warm, supportive, and client-centered. I’m here to guide you gently through the healing process—without judgment, pressure, or the need to relive painful memories in detail.
What Clients Are Saying
“After years of therapy that didn’t help my PTSD, ART gave me real relief in just a few sessions. Laura is incredibly skilled and kind.” — Client from Jersey City
“I was amazed at how fast I felt better. The images that haunted me are gone, and I finally feel like myself again.” — Virtual ART Client
Start Healing with Virtual ART in Jersey City
If you’re searching for “art therapy Jersey City” but want an effective, science-backed alternative, Accelerated Resolution Therapy might be exactly what you need.
No art supplies or creativity needed—just a willingness to heal and a safe space to connect.
👉 Ready to get started?
Click here to book your first session
You deserve peace, relief, and healing. Let’s take the first step together today.