Can Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) Help with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is far more than simply liking things neat or double-checking the front door. It is a complex mental health condition characterised by unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviours or mental rituals (compulsions) performed to reduce overwhelming anxiety.
For many people, OCD can consume hours of their day, interfere with relationships, work and study, and leave them feeling trapped in an exhausting cycle of fear and relief.
The good news is that OCD is treatable. While Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) remains the most well-established psychological treatment for OCD, emerging evidence suggests that Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) may also help some individuals, particularly when trauma or deeply ingrained survival responses contribute to their symptoms.
People with OCD often recognise that their thoughts are irrational, yet the urge to perform compulsions feels impossible to ignore.
Common obsessions include:
Fear of contamination
Fear of harming yourself or others
Excessive responsibility
Intrusive, violent or sexual thoughts
Religious or moral concerns (scrupulosity)
Constant doubt and uncertainty
Common compulsions include:
Excessive washing or cleaning
Checking locks, appliances or doors
Counting or repeating rituals
Seeking reassurance
Mental reviewing or analysing
Avoiding situations that trigger anxiety
Although compulsions provide temporary relief, they actually reinforce the brain's false alarm system, keeping the OCD cycle alive.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is an evidence-informed psychotherapy originally developed to treat trauma and PTSD. Using guided eye movements, visualisation and memory reconsolidation techniques, ART helps the brain process distressing experiences differently without requiring clients to repeatedly describe painful memories in detail.
Rather than challenging thoughts through logic alone, ART works with the brain's emotional and sensory processing systems. This can be particularly helpful because OCD is often driven less by rational thinking and more by a powerful feeling that something is "not right" or that danger is imminent.
Looking Beyond the Symptoms
At the 2024 International Society of Accelerated Resolution Therapy conference, psychologist Dr. Mark Chamberlain described OCD as a misapplication of the brain's survival responses. Instead of viewing compulsions as irrational habits, ART explores what protective function they may have developed over time.
In other words, the brain may be trying to keep you safe—but using outdated or exaggerated survival strategies that are no longer helpful. ART aims to help the nervous system update these responses, reducing the emotional urgency that fuels compulsions.
During an ART session, clients are guided to notice the physical sensations, emotions and mental images connected to their obsessive fears while following bilateral eye movements.
The goal is not to erase memories or force positive thinking.
Instead, ART helps the brain:
Process distressing emotional responses more adaptively
Reduce the emotional intensity attached to obsessive fears
Create new, healthier neural pathways
Increase flexibility in how the brain responds to uncertainty
Shift the nervous system out of a chronic state of threat
Many clients appreciate that ART focuses on what they are experiencing internally rather than requiring lengthy discussions about every intrusive thought.
Although research on ART for OCD is still in its early stages, the initial findings are encouraging. One published case study followed two adults with long-standing OCD who each completed four ART sessions. Both experienced substantial reductions in OCD symptoms, with improvements maintained months after treatment without medication.
Additional clinical reports presented by Dr. Chamberlain describe individuals who experienced significant improvements after only a small number of ART sessions, including an 11-year-old boy whose severe OCD had progressed to the point that he would no longer walk through doorways. Following ART, he gradually returned to walking independently and participating in everyday life. While these results are promising, larger clinical trials are still needed before ART can be considered a first-line treatment for OCD.
ART Is Not About Avoiding Evidence-Based Care
It's important to recognise that Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) continues to have the strongest evidence base for treating OCD. However, not everyone finds ERP manageable, particularly if trauma, nervous system dysregulation or overwhelming emotional distress makes exposure work difficult. For some individuals, ART may complement existing therapies by helping reduce the intensity of fear responses before or alongside ERP. A personalised treatment plan should always be developed with a qualified mental health professional.
A Whole-Person Approach to Healing
As a trauma-informed Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, I believe that effective therapy looks beyond symptoms to understand the whole person.
Many people living with OCD also experience anxiety, perfectionism, childhood adversity or traumatic life experiences that may contribute to an overactive threat response.
Alongside ART, treatment may also include:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Clinical EFT (Tapping)
Buteyko breathing to help regulate the nervous system
Mindfulness and self-compassion practices
Every person's experience of OCD is unique, and therapy should reflect that individuality.
There Is Hope
Living with OCD can be incredibly exhausting, but recovery is possible.
Whether you've recently developed symptoms or have been struggling for many years, effective treatments are available. Emerging therapies such as Accelerated Resolution Therapy offer another avenue worth exploring for some people, particularly when traditional approaches have not provided the relief they were hoping for.
If OCD is impacting your life, reaching out for support is an important first step. You don't have to face it alone, and with the right treatment, it is possible to regain freedom from the cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
Please note: This article is for educational purposes only and should not replace individual assessment or treatment from a qualified mental health professional.
GUN MESKANEN HOPKINS
ACCREDITED MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL WORKER,
Certified Evidence-Based EFT and BUTEYKO BREATHING PRACTITIONER
(Medicare refund available)
Comments