What is Rapid Resolution Therapy for Trauma?
Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT) is a new form of treatment developed to help individuals overcome the lingering effects of unresolved trauma in much less time than usual therapies. The term “rapid” is an accurate description of RRT as this form of therapy is only intended to last a few sessions at most. It is a form of psychotherapy (also referred to as talk therapy) facilitated by a certified RRT therapist and lasts for 2 to 6 sessions.
Rapid-resolution therapy is a relatively recent development in the treatment of trauma-related mental health problems. Life experiences may set off a cascade of painful events, limiting beliefs, and destructive behaviors that can appear impossible to find a solution to. With rapid resolution therapy, the mind is removed from negative beliefs, reorganized to look at new possibilities, and ceases regretting the past and fearing the future. Painful emotions and negative habits are replaced by positive actions and feelings that promote your overall well-being.
Uses of Rapid Resolution Therapy for Trauma
Rapid-resolution therapy for trauma can be used for a wide range of mental health issues. RRT was developed by Dr. Jay Connolly to originally help survivors of sexual violence and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sufferers overcome self-destructive thinking patterns, behaviors, and feelings. Nonetheless, RRT can also be used in combination with other standard therapies in the treatment of substance use and alcohol use disorders. In general, RRT can be effective in those who have experienced/experiencing:
- Trauma
- Panic attacks
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Childhood abuse
- Relationship problems
- Other Counseling/Therapy difficulties
How Do You Know if Trauma is Still Affecting You?
Trauma from childhood can have a lasting effect. Many individuals who experience traumatic episodes at crucial developmental phases in childhood can struggle with them for several years.
Some of the signs of unresolved trauma include the following:
- Restlessness
- Sleep issues
- Weight loss or gain
- Chronic pain
- Persistent anger
- Hypervigilance
- Hypersensitivity
- Fear of rejection
- Difficulty in personal relationships
- Constant anxiety
- Social anxiety
- Helplessness/hopelessness
- Symptoms of depression
- Disconnected from self
- Intrusive thoughts connected with trauma
- Triggered by situations similar to trauma
How Does Rapid Resolution Therapy for Trauma Work?
When a traumatic event occurs, we inadvertently go over it repeatedly in our minds. The neural messages keep going down the same pathway with the same emotional response. This is why we experience the same feelings and emotions as if they were happening all over again. With RRT, you and the therapist utilize creativity, guided imagery, and storytelling to build a new neural pathway that does not include the emotional reaction that used to come along with the traumatic thought. In a sense, you are pressing the “reset” button on the brain. Consequently, the emotional pain and reactions are no longer present and you are no longer set off by similar sensations or thoughts.
Benefits of Rapid Resolution Therapy for Trauma
Even though rapid resolution therapy for trauma is a newer therapy, it exhibits promising results. Some of these include:
- Effective, safe therapy that does not necessitate patients to relive past trauma or talk about it in detail
- Fast results, with improvements seen in 6 sessions or less
- Effective at treating a wide range of problematic behaviors
- Positive shifts are seen almost immediately
Summary
Rapid resolution therapy for trauma varies from traditional lines of therapy in the sense that it believes that episodes do not cause emotions to keep occurring, but the person’s own unconscious and conscious mind seeks those emotions. This is a crucial distinction when practicing rapid resolution therapy. By approaching trauma with this perspective, it means that people can learn to gain control over their emotions rather than be held captive by their traumatic experience. RRT uses symbolic imagery and metaphors to reeducate an individual’s mind on how to respond to their trauma so that they have control over that response.
