New approach to treating PTSD

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- There is a new approach to treating trauma and other mental health issues, including post traumatic stress disorder.

Curt Pease has been stuttering since he was 10 years old, after being forced to recite a poem in class.

"It just panicked me every single day," Pease said, "and from that day on its just got worse."

Now the retired businessman speaks without hesitation.

"I used to not get into conversations," he said.

Thanks to two sessions with licensed therapist Laney Rosenzweig, who developed Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) five years ago.

"It is an eye movement therapy," Rosenzweig said.

People like Sister Monica Mary of Sisters of Charity are able to overcome trauma and other mental health problems, as the brain processes information and produces the feeling of relaxation.

"we're deleting the negative images and reinforcing the positive several times and the brain seems to completely let go so the client can't even pull it up," Rosenzweig said, "and now all they see is the positive changes and that's how the body responds and makes the changes."

For Sister Monica Mary the underlying issue was child abuse.

"If anybody has been child abused or anything they can tell you that certain people's actions will give you negative feelings and negative behavior," Sister Monica Mary said. "All of a sudden I lost that. I can talk and intermingle with people I haven't been able to do that before."

Another benefit is that now she is walking on her own.

"I had difficulty walking," she said. "I went to a cane, then I went to a walker."

ART is getting national attention.

The Department of Defense is studying how veterans can benefit.

The University of South Florida just completed a study and researchers concluded it took some three to four sessions of ART for people to overcome symptoms of PTSD.

However, Rosenzweig tells News 8 it could take only one session depending on the case.

For more information visit the Accelerated Resolution Therapy website .