The following Q & A was written by Courtney Armstrong, LPC, and is used with her permission.
What is Rapid Resolution Therapy™?
Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT) is an integrative and holistic approach designed to clear painful emotional responses, and is particularly effective in clearing anxiety and the negative effects of grief or past trauma. Unlike other approaches to trauma treatment which require the client to experience painful emotions while reliving the trauma, Rapid Resolution Therapy clears the effects of trauma gently and painlessly. RRT was developed by Dr. Jon Connelly over his thirty years of treating clients with trauma.
Why does RRT appear to be more effective for treating trauma than other therapy approaches?
Traumatic memories are stored differently in the brain. If you just “talk about the event,” you can activate the nervous system as if you are reliving the painful experience all over again, which can be retraumatizing. RRT involves use of guided imagery, metaphor, and calming techniques that empower you to talk about the event without emotionally reliving it. Clients who’ve used RRT typically report feeling peaceful or uplifted after their sessions, with significant decreases or complete elimination of anxiety attacks, nightmares, flashbacks, and shame related to a traumatic event.
What is meant by “Rapid Resolution”?
RRT dramatically reduces treatment time because the work is done at a level involving both the conscious and subconscious parts of the mind. So, rather than spending months or years in many hours of weekly talk-therapy sessions, people often find relief within their first session of RRT, and usually do not require more than 1-3 sessions to clear the imprint of a negative memory.
Dr. Jon Connelly is the author of Life Changing Conversations with Rapid Resolution Therapy, a book demonstrating that a single conversation can dramatically improve one’s life. Thousands of mental health professionals have attended Rapid Resolution Therapy trainings with Dr. Connelly. His students state that his trainings have enabled them to become much more powerful and effective healers. Dr. Connelly founded the Institute for Survivors of Sexual Violence, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is the research and development of cutting edge treatment for survivors of trauma. His early career experiences as a child protective service worker and clinical supervisor in a program that supported teens who had experienced emotional trauma, childhood abuse and/or sexual violence helped to shape the birth of Rapid Resolution Therapy. As a result of these experiences, he became committed to finding a way to relieve suffering. Dr. Connelly has taught college classes in human sexuality and group dynamics prior to providing post-graduate training programs for health and mental health professionals. Dr. Connelly is licensed as a clinical social worker and holds a doctorate in Clinical Pastoral Counseling.