General
How will A.R.T. benefit my clients?
When clients start therapy they are usually in some kind of emotional pain, i.e. they may be experiencing excessive anxiety, irritability, tension, sadness, self recrimination, low self esteem, or pessimism. They are seeking help because they cannot manage these feelings themselves and therefore they cannot progress in their life.
A.R.T. benefits clients by giving them relief from these painful emotions which they are stuck in. When they experience relief from anxiety they feel at ease and calm, when they get relief from anger they feel accepting and forgiving; and when they get relief from loneliness they feel loved and included. This is a powerful shift from being locked into fighting to survive to being able to experience joy and pleasure. Often clients will say they feel happy for the first time ever.
How is this positive shift achieved? A.R.T brings our emotions into balance: Instead of being stuck in survival mode, we move more fluidly from wellbeing to stress and back again as the situation requires. Clients are assisted to identify their emotions more accurately and express their emotions. This process releases old stress and results in a more balanced state of emotional wellbeing and emotional maturity.
At this point your clients will be ready to problem solve and make the necessary changes to improve their life, whether this may be a change of career, a re-think about their attitudes, or choosing new behaviours.
What therapeutic skills will I learn in A.R.T.?
- You learn to how to use the A.R.T. protocols in the Level 2 Practical training. This is the standard sequence of activities you will take your client through in every A.R.T. session. It is easy to learn and you will master it within the first 3 hours of training.
- Next you will learn to facilitate the four stages of healing: This starts with the release of trauma and conditioned stress, followed by emotional maturation and deepening of social relationships.
- You will learn to interpret the many signs of stress release and of growth; and how to measure your client’s progress.
- You will learn how to communicate with your clients about their therapy experience by linking research with clinical practice, using Emotion Charts and sharing the A.R.T. Client Guide.
What conditions can I treat with ART?
A.R.T. is helpful in the treatment of various mental health conditions, such as: Adjustment disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, acute stress disorder, trauma, stress, organic brain disorders, such as stroke and dementia, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning problems, personality disorders, as well as recovery from childhood and adult emotional, physical, or sexual abuse and for adults from dysfunctional family of origin, alcoholic families, families of war veterans, and adult children of parents with mental health disorders. It is also helpful for cognitively impaired adults with adjustment disorders.
How was A.R.T. developed?
A.R.T was developed in 1991 by Anca Ramsden, a clinical psychologist (MA Clin Psych, University of Pretoria, 1981). The method evolved from her Clinical Masters degree as well as her clinical experience working in Child and Family Units in mental health institutions from 1980 till 1991, where she was trained in non-directive play therapy, family therapy and client centered psychotherapy.
Her interest in neuro-physiological and psychosocial models of personality development evolved from her work within multi-disciplinary teams in hospital settings, working alongside physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, remedial teachers, psychiatrists and mental health nurses to promote child mental health.
She subsequently introduced neuro-physiological and psycho-social developmental activities into a psychotherapy for adults in her practice and utilised this approach successfully for twenty years, before she first offered the training to psychologists in 2010.
What research is A.R.T. based on?
A.R.T. is based on research in neuroscience, psychotherapy, personality development, child development and trauma by researchers and clinicians such as Joseph Le Doux, Babette Rothschild, Robert .C. Scaer, Daniel. J. Siegel, Allan Schore, Louis Cozolino, E.L. Rossi and Sally Goddard.
As examples, research by Joseph Le Doux underpins the importance of changing the physiological status from tension to relaxation prior to exposing clients to conscious recollections of survival emotional states. Allan Schore’s literature reviews of research on the psycho-social models in personality development underpin clinical interventions and explain growth processes observed during A.R.T. , such as for example healthy attachment preceding emotional independence.
What theory is A.R.T. based on?
A.R.T. is based on both behavioural and psycho-social theories of personality development. For example, the therapy includes exposure and de-conditioning to emotional triggers; as well as the development of emotional control through maturation, for example from infantile dependency to autonomous decision making. Both these processes are important building blocks in promoting healthy affect regulation.
How does A.R.T. work?
A.R.T. uses simple physical movements, such as stretching of the legs and controlled breathing to reduce physical tension and induce relaxation. These activities are followed by higher order cognitive activities, such as contemplation of emotions, which trigger a conditioned stress response. The arousal is reduced by repeating the physical movements to reduce tension.
This series of activities activate the nervous system into a release cycle of the fight, flight and freeze responses alternating with euthymic states. This release cycle automatically improves affect regulation both immediately and in the longer term. This cycle of growth eventually leads to a maturation of the whole personality and is a replication of childhood developmental sequences, such as attachment and independence.
Is A.R.T. a brief psychotherapy?
A.R.T. can be used as a brief intervention – a client may attend one session in preparation for a challenging event such as court attendance, public speaking, getting married, or writing an exam. The purpose is to lower the client’s anxiety and stress levels so they can perform to the best of their abilities.
A.R.T. is most commonly used as a brief psychotherapy of 10 to 15 sessions to treat conditions such as Adjustment Disorder with depression or anxiety.
Can A.R.T. be used as a long term psychotherapy?
When clients present with chronic conditions such as Major depression or a
Generalised Anxiety Disorder and require ongoing psychotherapy then A.R.T. can be helpful in promoting resilience. A long term therapy of approximately 18 months to 3 years or more allows the nervous system to complete three important phases of healing, namely the release of trauma, better regulation of conditioned fight, flight and freeze stress states, and the completion of all psychosocial developmental stages.
This approach is also suitable for adults from dysfunctional families, who need to recover from their experience of stress in childhood which had prevented healthy personality development.
Can A.R.T. be used with adults and children?
Yes, the method is suitable for all ages. A child needs to be about 5 years old to participate. A.R.T. is also suited for geriatrics.
Can A.R.T. be used with groups?
Yes, it is a good tool for group work.
Can A.R.T. be used for self help?
Yes, definitely. Most clients use the A.R.T. movements at home on a regular basis as an effective way to keep their stress levels low. Even children will do so.
Is A.R.T. an evidence based approach?
Evidence based practice is a process in which the practitioner combines well-researched interventions with clinical experience and ethics, and client preferences and culture to guide and inform the delivery of treatments and services. A.R.T meets these requirements.
How will my clients respond to A.R.T.?
Clients readily accept A.R.T. interventions for several reasons:
- They are already familiar with some movements such as stretching from athletics, gym classes or yoga.
- They experience a pleasant sense of relaxation within minutes of starting the movements, which means their expectations of relief is met.
- They are empowered by the psycho-education on stress and regulation which they can readily grasp and apply.
- Clients feel more relaxed at the end of their session than at the start, so the benefit of therapy is immediate and observable.
- They naturally start using the movements to self regulate at home.
- Their progress is measured on the DASS21 in every session, giving them the evidence of progress. These client experiences are motivating to clients.
What are the advantages of using A.R.T.?
A.R.T. has a number of advantages for both the clinician and the client.
- The method offers reliable and immediate results. In most sessions the client will experience immediate relief from tension and feel more relaxed by the end of their session.
- The method is easy to deliver to the client. A series of standard activities are repeated in every session.
- For clients who struggle to verbalise and discuss emotions and thoughts in therapy A.R.T. offers a helpful alternative. The client is not re-traumatised through talking about trauma.
What happens in an A.R.T. psychotherapy session?
An A.R.T. psychotherapy session is similar to any other psychotherapy session.
At the start of a session the client gives the therapist feedback as to how they are progressing, and this information gathering stage is followed by a suitable intervention, which may be the series of A.R.T. activities. These activities will lower the client’s stress levels and lead to a feeling of greater ease and comfort.
The session is concluded by checking the changes in the client’s mental state and grounding exercises as well as psycho-education.
What conditions can A.R.T. treat?
How is ART helpful in the treatment of trauma?
A.R.T. can be a suitable intervention for treating trauma because it focuses on the fight, flight, and freeze responses which are over active in trauma. The freeze response is responsible for dissociation and A.R.T. allows the release of this state which leads to a reduction in the dominance of the freeze response. Practically this allows the client to feel more grounded and emotionally balanced.
How is A.R.T. helpful in the treatment of depression?
A.R.T. can be a suitable intervention for treating a depressed mood because typically the fight, flight, and freeze responses are all simultaneously over active when client present with symptoms of depression. By reducing the dominance of these states A.R.T. improves mood.
How is A.R.T. helpful in the treatment of anxiety?
A.R.T. can be helpful in the treatment of anxiety disorders because it can target the over active flight response which underlies anxiety. By lowering the flight response anxiety is reduced. Clients often present with a complex history, for example the client may have a predisposition to anxiety as well as a family history that exacerbated anxiety. In such a case A.R.T. can assist with both issues by also working on childhood stress for example.
How is A.R.T. helpful in the treatment of learning difficulties?
A.R.T. can be useful in the management of learning difficulties, because
clients with these problems often have both psycho-social and neuro-physiological developmental delays. A.R.T. interventions can address the psycho-social developmental delays and also have some indirect impact on neuro-physiological delays. These clients also have difficulties with ??
How is ART helpful f in the treatment of ADHD?
A.R.T. can be useful in the management of ADHD, because similarly to clients with learning difficulties, these clients often also have both psycho-social and neuro-physiological developmental delays. A.R.T. interventions can address the psycho-social developmental delays and also have some indirect impact on neuro-physiological delays. These clients also have difficulties with self regulation and impulsivity. A.R.T. improves frontal lobe functions, such as self reflection, self awareness and self regulation, which helps these clients. These clients have also have historic stress around learning and socialising, which A.R.T. can address.
How is A.R.T. helpful in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders?
A.R.T. can be useful in the management of Autism, because these clients also have both psycho-social and neuro-physiological developmental delays. A.R.T. interventions can have a positive impact on developmental delays , which can help the client for example become more communicative, more self responsible, lower anxiety, increase the ability to adjust more quickly to change and with less stress and improve social connectivity.
Because A.R.T. does not require language expression it is ideally suited to this group.
How is A.R.T. helpful in the treatment of anger management?
A.R.T. can be useful in the management of anger, because it improves control over reflex responses. This allows the person with an impulsive angry response style to self reflect before they act – it is this feeling of having an extra window of time for contemplation that allows them to become more discerning and self managing in how they respond to others.
A.R.T. will also trigger a release of old pent up anger, which will reduce the inclination to express anger at every opportunity. Once anger is released there is more cooperation, friendliness and a willingness to problem solve.
How is A.R.T. helpful in the treatment of adult children from dysfunctional families?
A.R.T. can be useful for these adults because it can release deepseated stress from childhood and also repair the arrested development from excessive stress in childhood. If a child endured hostility from a parent, or lack of engagement these impacts can be repaired. This will allow that adult to experience often for the first time what it is like to live without stress and tension.
How is A.R.T. helpful in the treatment of psychoses?
A.R.T. can be useful in the management of psychosis if the condition is well managed by medication. Then A.R.T. can be applied as a soft impact method to gently and slowly relieve the client of chronic stress.
How is A.R.T. helpful in the treatment of PTSD?
A.R.T. is helpful in the treatment of PTSD because it can lower hyper arousal states and reduce clients being triggered by certain stimuli. With systematic desensitisation and the release of excessive fight, flight and freeze reflex responses hyper arousal can be reduced. This results in the client feeling more emotionally balanced, more in control and more at ease. The A.R.T. movements are also helpful for self maintenance.
Questions about training
How can I register for this course?
You can register by going to the Store tab on this website.
You can either use Paypal, or internet banking or pay by credit card over the phone. (Mobile 0414 414 286)
Why should I take this training?
- You will gain a new understanding of how stress affects your clients’ mental health and how to help them with this common problem.
- You will learn to be more aware of subtle behaviours of growth and change in your clients during therapy
- You will have a user friendly tool to help clients in a way that they find comfortable, easy and immediately rewarding.
- You will be able to help clients solve problems which may not have been addressed previously, because you will have effective tools to work on unconscious reflex stress states.
- You will also get a new understanding of affect regulation and how it develops-most psychologists say that A.R.T. training helped them ‘connect the dots’ of their university education.
- And finally, you will learn a model of stress and personality function that is helpful with formulating a case report for report writing.
Is all the training online?
Yes, all training is offered online. The practical training is face to face via skype, otherwise by telephone. Detailed instructions are in written manuals as well.
How many levels of training are there?
There are three levels.
- Level 1 covers the theory, research and applications.
- Level 2 teaches the practical application for Brief therapy for 6 to 15 sessions.
- In Level 3 you learn how to use A.R.T. as a long term psychotherapy, 6 months to 3 years.
How long does it take to complete training?
- Level 1 theory, research and applications takes 12 hours;
- Level 2 practical training for brief therapy takes 15 hours;
- Level 3 long term psychotherapy has four modules each taking 15 hours to complete, so 60 hours.
Do I receive a certificate of completion?
Yes, after each Level.
Does this training count towards professional development hours?
Yes, it does. The training is listed on the APS events page
What do I learn in Level 1?
Level 1 covers the theory, research and applications that underpin A.R.T.
This is vital knowledge to understand how affect regulation develops and prepares you to apply the practical skills.
What do I learn in Level 2?
Level 2 teaches the practical application for Brief therapy for 6 to 15 sessions.
You learn exactly how to conduct an A.R.T. session so you are confident to work with clients.
What do I learn in Level 3?
In Level 3 you learn how to use A.R.T. as a long term psychotherapy, 6 months to 3 years. To conduct this more indepth personality development you need specific tools, such as protocols for each developmental stage of life; and protocols for specific types of problems, such as trauma, neglect, deprivation, abuse for example.
Where can I read more about the training?
Read the training brochures below for more information.
Can I get supervision after the training?
Yes, you can. Email Anca Ramsden at bestmindset@bigpond.com and request a supervision session.
What books can I read to learn more about A.R.T.?
The book, ‘How your Mind Heals Itself’ by Anca Ramsden is a client guide and will answer most of your questions about this approach.
Sign up here to get your free digital copy (link)
You can also order a hard copy from our Store at 24.99AUD.
How much does the training cost?
Level 1 costs 220.00 AUD, GST included (12 hours )
Level 2 costs 549.00 AUD , GST included (15 hours)
Level 3 costs 990.00 AUD, GST included (per 15 hour module)
Which therapy method should I use?
Psychologists generally use several psychotherapy methods within their practice to suit individual client needs. Below are common combinations used by A.R.T. practitioners.
I mainly use CBT, how will A.R.T. be of benefit?
A.R.T. will enable you to work with difficult emotions that your clients are stuck in and which are preventing them from managing their thoughts and behaviours.
Once these emotions have been released your client will naturally be more self aware and start to self regulate irrational beliefs and thoughts.
I already use EMDR, how will A.R.T. be of benefit?
A.R.T. is a helpful addition for EMDR as some clients who may not respond to EMDR may respond to A.R.T. and vice versa. A.R.T. is a more gentle approach, where as EMDR works directly on specific traumas.
I already use hypnosis, how will A.R.T. be of benefit?
A.R.T. is a helpful addition to hypnotherapy as A.R.T. can assist with releasing stress on a neuro-physiological basis and A.R.T. can also assist in the repair developmental delays.
I already use ACT, how will A.R.T. be of benefit?
A.R.T. is a helpful addition to ACT as A.R.T. can help clients release unconscious stress and trauma, after which the client can benefit more from ACT interventions.