EMDR vs. ART in Pittsburgh
Two Paths Toward Trauma Healing
If you’re searching for EMDR in Pittsburgh, you may not just be looking for a therapy technique.
You may be looking for relief.
For your body to stop reacting to something that’s already over.
For anxiety to quiet.
For your parenting to feel less reactive.
Sometimes what we call “overreacting” is actually survival mode — an inheritance you didn’t ask for.
What Is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was developed by Francine Shapiro and is widely recognized as an evidence-based treatment for trauma and PTSD.
In EMDR, a client briefly activates a distressing memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation — often guided side-to-side eye movements, taps, or tones. Over time, the brain reorganizes how that memory is stored, reducing its emotional intensity and shifting associated beliefs.
EMDR follows a structured eight-phase protocol that includes history-taking, preparation, target identification, desensitization, installation of adaptive beliefs, and closure.
For many people, EMDR provides meaningful relief from trauma-related triggers, anxiety, panic, and distress tied to overwhelming experiences.
What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) was developed by Laney Rosenzweig and is a structured, evidence-based trauma treatment that also uses bilateral eye movements to support memory processing.
In ART, clients briefly activate distressing memories while engaging in guided eye movements. A distinctive component of ART is Voluntary Image Replacement (VIR), which allows clients to intentionally replace distressing imagery with imagery that feels neutral, empowering, or relieving.
While the emotional charge associated with the memory shifts, clients retain factual awareness of what occurred. The goal is not to erase memory, but to reduce its intensity and the automatic survival responses connected to it.
ART follows a clear, procedural protocol and is often experienced as efficient per target memory, with many clients noticing meaningful relief within a small number of sessions.
As a National Trainer in Accelerated Resolution Therapy, I provide ART-informed trauma therapy in Pittsburgh and virtually across Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
Both EMDR and ART aim to support trauma resolution — the difference lies in structure, pacing, and how the brain integrates emotional memory.
EMDR
• Developed by Francine Shapiro
• Eight-phase structured protocol
• Memory activation with bilateral stimulation
• Focus on belief restructuring
• Processing may unfold across multiple sessions
• Emotional intensity reduces over time
ART
• Developed by Laney Rosenzweig
• Structured procedural protocol
• Bilateral eye movements with guided imagery
• Includes Voluntary Image Replacement (VIR)
• Often experienced as efficient per target memory
• Emotional charge shifts while factual memory remains
Choosing between EMDR and ART is not about which therapy is “better.”
It’s about fit — your history, your nervous system, and how you prefer to process emotional memory.
Looking for EMDR in Pittsburgh?
If you are specifically seeking EMDR with a certified EMDR therapist in Pittsburgh, I encourage you to connect with a clinician formally trained in that model.
If you are searching for EMDR in Pittsburgh because you want relief from trauma-related triggers, emotional reactivity, or overwhelming memories, ART may be another evidence-based option worth exploring.
I provide in-person trauma therapy in Mt. Lebanon, serving the South Hills of Pittsburgh, and virtual sessions across Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
Pittsburgh
Virtual
Location & Availability
I provide in-person therapy in my Mt. Lebanon office in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, and virtual therapy for adults anywhere in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
Serving Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park, Dormont, Baldwin, and surrounding South Hills neighborhoods.
If you’re ready to explore trauma therapy in Pittsburgh and want a structured, trauma-informed approach designed to reduce emotional reactivity without reliving painful memories, I invite you to schedule a consultation.
Ready to begin?