Grief has a way of settling into the body and mind long after the world expects you to have “moved on.” For me, grief wasn’t only sadness; it was heaviness, intrusive memories, emotional exhaustion, and a quiet sense that something inside me remained unresolved.

As a therapist myself, I have had the privilege to sit with others who have experienced profound and traumatic losses such as the death of their child, spouse, parent, family members and pets. Seeing the beauty of watching the grief evolve through Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) helped me see that I needed ART for my own grief.  I wanted to experience what my clients were experiencing. 

There is not a road map for grief, but I would like to share a bit more of my own personal journey with grief.  

What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)?

Accelerated Resolution Therapy is an evidence-based trauma therapy that uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain process distressing memories differently. While ART is often associated with healing trauma, it is also increasingly used as therapy for grief, especially when grief feels stuck, overwhelming, or complicated.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, ART doesn’t require you to repeatedly describe painful details out loud. Instead, it allows the brain to re-store distressing memories in a way that reduces their emotional intensity without erasing meaning, love, or connection.

That distinction mattered deeply to me.

Why I Chose ART Therapy for Grief

I didn’t want to forget.
I didn’t want to “get over” my loss.
I wanted relief from the emotional charge that hijacked my nervous system.

Grief had become something my body reacted to automatically; tight chest, sudden tears, mental loops of “what if” and “if only.” Even when I was functioning well on the outside, my internal world felt fragile.

I chose Accelerated Resolution Therapy for grief because it offered a way to process pain without drowning in it. I could process it in such a beautiful way that felt I could bring healing for me and my parents. I was also able to heal my parents’ past traumas that in turn helped me process my own grief and release the emotional weight.

My Personal Experience With Accelerated Resolution Therapy for Grief

What I appreciated the most was how fast I was able to feel differently about my grief. 

Sessions were structured, contained, and grounding. I was always in control. I didn’t feel re-traumatized or emotionally flooded; something many people fear when starting trauma or grief therapy.

As memories came up, something subtle but profound happened:
The images lost their sharpness.
The emotions softened.
My body stopped reacting as if the loss was happening all over again.

The grief didn’t disappear but it shifted.

Instead of overwhelming pain, there was space, compassion and understanding. Instead of emotional reactivity, there was reflection, appreciation and acceptance. I could remember without unraveling and going into spiralling thoughts. 

That, to me, is grief healing.

How ART Therapy Helped My Grief Heal

Accelerated Resolution Therapy didn’t take away my emotions or my memories. What it changed was my relationship with them.

ART helped me:

  • Reduce the emotional intensity of grief-related memories

  • Calm my nervous system responses

  • Process unfinished emotional pain

  • Reconnect with memories without distress

  • Feel grounded rather than emotionally hijacked

For anyone wondering “does ART therapy work for grief?” my answer is yes, especially when grief feels stuck or intertwined with trauma.

Who Might Benefit From ART Therapy for Grief?

Based on both my personal and professional experience, ART therapy may be especially helpful if:

  • Your grief feels overwhelming or prolonged

  • You experience intrusive memories or images

  • You feel emotionally “stuck” despite time passing

  • Traditional talk therapy hasn’t helped enough

  • You want a gentle, non-verbal approach to healing

Grief therapy doesn’t have to mean reliving pain endlessly. There are ways to heal that honour both your loss and your nervous system.

Reflections on Grief and Healing

Grief is not something to fix; it’s something to integrate.

Accelerated Resolution Therapy gave me a way to carry my grief with more ease, compassion, and stability. It allowed healing without erasing meaning, and processing without overwhelm.

If you’re navigating loss and wondering whether healing is possible without losing connection to what mattered; ART therapy for grief may be worth exploring.

You deserve support that meets you gently, exactly where you are.

A Place to Speak What Remains Unsaid

As part of my own healing journey and our team’s commitment to supporting our community we’ve been working with the Town of Okotoks on a special project called The Wind Phone. This beautiful, reflective space, at Laudan Park in Okotoks, is designed for people who are grieving a loved one. It offers a quiet place to “speak” to the person you miss, share memories, release emotions, or simply sit with your feelings.

A windphone is a simple, unconnected phone where people can speak words left unsaid to those they have lost. For many, grief lives in the things we never got to say. The windphone offers a gentle way to express those thoughts, to speak into the open air, and to feel a sense of release without judgment or expectation. Much like Accelerated Resolution Therapy, the windphone is not about erasing grief, but about giving it a place to land; honouring love, memory, and the ongoing process of healing.

Read more about our local Windphone in this article by Okotoks online:  https://okotoksonline.com/articles/wind-phone-offers-space-for-grief-and-healing-in-okotoks-park


📍 Windphone at Laudan Park, Okotoks, AB.

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