What to Do After an Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) Session
Understanding the Importance of Aftercare in ART
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a powerful, evidence-based approach that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories, reduce emotional triggers, and replace painful images with more positive and empowering ones. Clients often leave sessions feeling lighter, calmer, or relieved. However, because ART works so deeply with memory and emotion, the period after a session can also bring up unique experiences.
Knowing how to care for yourself after ART helps to consolidate the progress you’ve made and ensures that the healing process continues beyond the therapy room. Aftercare isn’t about doing more “work”—it’s about giving your mind and body the space and support they need to integrate the changes.
What to Expect After an ART Session
Every client’s experience after ART is unique. Some people report immediate relief and a sense of peace, while others feel emotionally tender or tired. Both responses are completely normal and part of the healing process.
Here are some common things you might notice:
Emotional shifts: You may feel lighter, more relaxed, or even surprised by how much better you feel. On the other hand, you could also notice waves of sadness or emotional release as your mind processes the changes.
Physical sensations: Because ART engages the nervous system, your body might feel tired, energized, or experience subtle changes like warmth, tingling, or relaxation.
Changes in memories: The distressing images you worked on may now feel distant, neutral, or less emotionally charged. Some clients find they can still recall the event but without the same emotional weight.
New insights: It’s common to notice fresh perspectives or realizations about yourself, your relationships, or your healing journey.
Practicing Gentle Self-Care
The most important thing you can do after an ART session is to treat yourself with gentleness. Healing often continues in the hours and days after therapy, so prioritizing self-care can support integration.
Some helpful self-care practices include:
Rest: If you feel tired, give yourself permission to nap, go to bed early, or take breaks. Your brain has done deep work and needs time to recharge.
Hydration and nourishment: Drink water and eat nourishing foods to support your body in processing changes.
Grounding activities: Gentle activities like walking, stretching, or spending time in nature can help your body regulate.
Journaling: Writing down thoughts, feelings, or insights that come up can help you track progress and give you space to reflect.
Creative outlets: Drawing, music, or other forms of creative expression may help your mind integrate the new images formed during ART.
Giving Your Mind Time to Process
It’s important to remember that your brain continues to process information after ART. You don’t need to force anything—just allow the process to unfold. Some clients notice subtle changes in the days following, such as reduced triggers, improved mood, or a greater sense of calm.
If you find yourself revisiting the memory, you’ll likely notice that it feels different now—less overwhelming and less charged. That shift is part of ART’s effectiveness. Trust that the healing is continuing beneath the surface.
Handling Emotional Surges or Unexpected Feelings
Although most clients leave ART sessions with a sense of relief, sometimes emotions surface later as part of the healing process. This doesn’t mean the therapy “didn’t work”—it’s simply your mind and body adjusting to new ways of holding memory and emotion.
If you notice strong feelings:
Take slow, deep breaths and remind yourself that this is temporary.
Use grounding techniques, such as focusing on your senses or holding something comforting.
Reach out to a trusted friend, partner, or therapist if you need additional support.
Many clients find that any temporary discomfort fades quickly, leaving behind a greater sense of resilience and peace.
Avoiding Overwhelm After ART
Because ART can shift deeply rooted emotional patterns, it’s best not to overwhelm yourself immediately after a session. Try to avoid scheduling demanding tasks, major decisions, or emotionally charged conversations right afterward.
Instead, plan for downtime where you can reflect, rest, or engage in soothing activities. This isn’t about avoiding life—it’s about honoring your healing process.
Supporting Long-Term Healing with ART
One ART session can create profound change, but healing is often a journey. Many clients continue sessions to address multiple memories, traumas, or patterns. Each session builds on the last, helping you release more burdens and move toward greater freedom.
In between sessions, consider practices that help reinforce your progress:
Mindfulness: Staying present can help you notice positive changes and reduce old patterns of worry or rumination.
Healthy routines: Sleep, nutrition, and movement all support emotional resilience.
Therapeutic support: Ongoing therapy, whether ART or other approaches, provides space to process new insights and strengthen coping strategies.
When to Reach Out to Your Therapist
It’s important to stay in communication with your ART therapist after a session. Reach out if you:
Experience strong or unexpected emotional reactions that feel unmanageable.
Have questions about what you experienced in the session.
Notice major shifts that you’d like to explore further in therapy.
Feel ready to continue working on other memories or goals.
Your therapist is there to guide you, answer questions, and provide reassurance as you navigate your healing journey.
Integrating Healing into Daily Life
The beauty of ART is that the changes you experience aren’t just temporary—they create lasting shifts in how your brain stores and responds to distressing memories. Over time, you may find that you feel freer, calmer, and more resilient.
To integrate these changes into your daily life:
Notice when you respond differently to triggers or challenges.
Celebrate small wins and positive changes.
Be patient with yourself—healing is a process, not a race.
Final Thoughts on What to Do After ART
Completing an Accelerated Resolution Therapy session is a powerful step toward healing. What you do afterward—resting, practicing self-care, and giving your mind time to integrate—helps solidify the progress you’ve made.
Remember that healing unfolds differently for everyone. Trust the process, lean into support when needed, and honor your growth along the way. ART is designed to help you release the weight of the past and step into a future that feels lighter and more hopeful.
If you’re ready to begin your own journey with Accelerated Resolution Therapy, I’d love to support you. You can get started today by filling out my intake form: Click here to schedule your first ART session.
Peer-Reviewed Sources
Kip, K. E., Rosenzweig, L., Hernandez, D. F., Shuman, A., Sullivan, K. L., Long, C. J., & McGhee, S. (2013). Accelerated Resolution Therapy for treatment of pain secondary to symptoms of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 4(1), 1–12.
Kip, K. E., Elk, C. A., Sullivan, K. L., Kadel, R., Lengacher, C. A., Long, C. J., & Shuman, A. (2012). Brief treatment of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by use of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 115–134.
Waits, W., Marumoto, M., Weaver, J., & Kip, K. (2017). Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART): A Review and Research to Date. Current Psychiatry Reviews, 13(1), 1–10.
Fragedakis, T. M., & Toriello, P. J. (2014). The development and experience of combat-related PTSD: A demand for neurofeedback as an effective form of treatment. Journal of Counseling & Development, 92(4), 481–488.