About
Hello!
I’m Allyson
Welcome to my corner of the internet — where working myself out of a job while making the world a more regulated place is the mission statement.
After 15 years of practicing traditional talk therapy, I found something that changed everything I thought I knew about healing from trauma and other mental health “disorders.”
For years, I watched my brilliant, insightful, and motivated clients make some progress in talk therapy... only to hit an invisible wall.
They would talk through their trauma, practice the coping skills, and gain insights…but then plateau. The nightmares persisted. The triggers remained. The past kept intruding in their daily life.
I felt it in my own healing journey, too.
Then I discovered Accelerated Resolution Therapy.
Not to sound cliche, but everything changed. I realized the reason we were all hitting that wall: talk therapy works with thoughts, logic, and insights, but trauma lives in the nervous system.
ART works directly with how traumatic memories are stored, using the same bilateral eye movements that naturally occur during healing REM sleep.
Now, clients with similar experiences (people who have tried multiple approaches but weren't getting the long-term change they were looking for) are experiencing that much-needed breakthrough in 3-5 sessions instead of years.
I don’t believe therapy should take forever. I believe there’s a difference between managing symptoms and being free from them.
ART makes that freedom possible by working directly with how trauma is stored in your nervous system, not just your thoughts.
If you've plateaued in traditional therapy, and if you're ready put this chapter of your life in the past instead of managing it indefinitely, you’re exactly who I work with.
Your life can change in just a handful of sessions...
How does this work?
…Pull up a chair…
The reason ART works so effectively for different conditions is simple: the conditions (trauma, phobias, grief, OCD, etc.) all involve distressing memories or images that have become “stuck” in your nervous system.
Whether it’s a traumatic event that won’t stop replaying, a phobia triggered by a specific memory, obsessive thoughts you can't turn off, or grief that feels frozen in time, the brain has stored these experiences in a way that keeps triggering your alarm system.
Traditional therapy tries to help you think differently about these experiences. ART, on the other hand, works directly with how these experiences are stored in your brain.
Using bilateral eye movements similar to REM sleep, we can access the memories when they're changeable and help your brain file them away properly. You keep the facts, but ART removes the emotional intensity.
The result: The memory stops controlling you. The phobia trigger loses its power. The obsessive loop breaks. The grief can finally flow and resolve.
I can’t make you forget what happened (and I wouldn’t want to — you need your memories!). But I CAN help your brain finally process these experiences completely. They’ll become part of your history — where they belong — rather than continuing as part of your daily experience.
This is why clients often experience profound shifts in just a few sessions: we’re working with the root of the problem, not just the symptoms.
Credentials and Training
Practicing psychotherapy since 2010
Specialized training in Accelerated Resolution Therapy
Licensed Clinical Independent Social Worker in Washington and Massachusetts
Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oregon
Telehealth registration in Florida and Vermont
15 years of clincal experience with teens and adults
FAQs
frequently asked questions
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ART sessions are 90 minutes to ensure we have enough time to complete the full process without feeling rushed. While some sessions may only take 60-75 minutes, others require the full 90 minutes if we discover additional scenes or underlying issues during the process.
This longer timeframe allows for thorough resolution rather than having to stop mid-process and continue in another session. You'll only be charged the flat $700 fee regardless of whether we use 60 or 90 minutes.
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ART works best for people who are genuinely ready to resolve their issue. If there are secondary benefits to keeping the problem (like avoiding certain responsibilities or getting extra attention/care), or if someone isn't fully committed to change, ART may not be effective.
ART is most successful when clients are motivated and ready to put the issue behind them.
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Great question! You don't need to be a strong visualizer for ART to work. The three things needed for a successful session are: the ability to move your eyes comfortably left and right, the ability to hold a thought or image (even a vague one), and motivation to resolve the issue.
Many clients worry about this, but you can 'think your way through' the problematic scene or thought rather than needing vivid mental pictures. ART works with whatever way your mind naturally processes information.
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I'm so glad you're interested in working together!
I don't offer consultation calls due to my scheduling constraints.
Instead, I've included comprehensive information about working with me on my website so that you can get all your questions answered immediately.
I am also in the process of adding video content to my Therapy Service pages as an alternative way of consuming the information (and so that you can get a feel for what it's like to work with me on video!).
Of course, there will always be unique circumstances. If you don't know which service best fits your situation, or you have a question that isn't answered on the Therapy Service pages, please feel free to reach out via the Contact Form below.
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Unfortunately, no. I live in Mexico, and therefore ALL of my work is 100% online. I use HIPAA-compliant video software to meet with clients, so we’ll be able to see each other during the session.
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My fee is $700 for a 90-minute ART session. For ART intensives, please see session pricing options HERE.
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Most issues are resolved in just 1-5 sessions, depending on complexity. Simple issues like needle phobia or a single traumatic incident typically only need 1 session, while more complex issues like complex PTSD, social phobia, or OCD may take 4-5 sessions.
Each session is 90 minutes long, and we'll typically meet weekly to start. This gives us enough time to complete the full ART process without feeling rushed.
For clients who want faster results, ART intensives are also available. An intensive is 4+ hours in one day and can address multiple "scenes" or complex issues all at once. There is a cost difference for intensives, but they allow you to complete your entire treatment in a single day or a weekend, rather than spreading it across several weeks.
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No, I am not in network with any insurance company. (You may sometimes see my name on outdated provider lists, but I left insurance networks in 2022.)
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Yes, but please be aware that insurance reimbursement varies significantly by plan, and my 90-minute sessions may not fit standard insurance session length expectations (typically 60 minutes). You are responsible for paying at the time of service, and my record system will email you a Superbill automatically once per month (by request only).
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When you schedule a session, payment is required at the time of booking to hold your spot. For any additional sessions I schedule for you, your card will be automatically charged within 24 hours prior to the appointment time. Credit cards are securely stored in your private client chart.
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I am currently seeing ART clients on Thursdays from 6am to 4pm Pacific Time. I will be opening additional session options as they become available.
ART intensives are available outside of my typical Thursday schedule but will need about 2 weeks' notice to arrange.
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Once you request a session either via email or using the self-scheduling widget above, I will send you over your new client forms. (These forms come from my electronic record system, not my email.) You’ll be responsible for reviewing and digitally signing them at least 72 hours in advance of your scheduled appointment to avoid an auto-cancellation. If you don’t receive these forms, please reach out to me at allyson@bridgetownclinical.com.
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Please use my self-scheduling link HERE to schedule your first session.
reach out
Contact Me
If you have any questions that aren’t already answered below in the FAQ section, please send me a message using the contact form.
allyson@bridgetownclinical.com
ONLINE IN
MASSACHUSETTS
WASHINGTON
OREGON
