AEDP: From Suffering to Flourishing

AEDP understands that people are designed for health and healing.

AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy), developed by Diana Fosha, is a transformative therapy that is a deep and profound therapy model. It is evidence-based, with research that proves its consistent effectiveness. 

This model holds an understanding that psychopathology and trauma grow in the face of adversity. And yet, its focus is non-pathologizing. AEDP prioritizes the innate healing potential and transformation that resides in an individual. 

AEDP recognizes the drive in all of us that pulses toward growth, self-repair, healing, and transformation. It supports clients in moving from suffering to flourishing. 

AEDP is an experiential therapy that is emotion-focused, relational, and somatic. Through the AEDP process, clients can deeply connect to themselves and allow their 'self at best' to come forward. AEDP provides an effective way for individuals to make lasting changes and become more emotionally resilient.

How does AEDP work?

AEDP understands that being alone in the face of overwhelming emotion is debilitating.  

Fundamental is that the therapist and client co-create corrective conditions so that repair, growth, and healing can naturally occur. 

An AEDP therapist provides an emotionally validating environment in which clients feel seen, heard, accepted, and safe enough to explore their inner world with courage and honesty. 

An engaged and attuned therapist facilitates a deepening connection between the client and themselves, helping the client build transformative new relational experiences. 

In this way, AEDP helps individuals become aware of previously unconscious feelings that might have been avoided or denied. And AEDP draws from transformational studies, supporting the emergence of previously unexplored positive parts of oneself.

Strengths of Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)

Walking alongside clients

An AEDP therapist creates a safe and secure base for clients to explore their emotional experiences. When walking alongside clients on this journey of discovery, the therapist supports the experience of relatedness, which allows them to feel seen and heard in a meaningful way. 

Through this process, the therapist looks for and supports glimmers of strength and resilience and privileges these experiences. Capacities previously in the background come to the foreground.

Letting clients know they are not alone

When clients come to AEDP therapy, they need to know they are not alone. The therapist isn't neutral in their care and connection and makes that explicit. 

An AEDP therapist will affirm the client's experience and provide a safe space for them to express and explore. 

Attachment theory underscores that building a solid therapeutic relationship helps clients better work through complex, difficult emotional issues. In the AEDP model, the client and the therapist invest and take risks to support the healing process. 

Existing in the mind and heart of the other

Each AEDP therapist-client dyad is a unique relationship. The therapist has an impact on the client, and the client impacts the therapist. The therapist nurtures the experience of mutually existing in the mind and heart of the other, and that contributes to attachment security. This connection is the foundation that allows suffering to transform into flourishing. 

The relationship is right brain to right brain — supporting the emotional, creative connection where difficulties and trauma heal and growth can occur. In this process of co-regulation, new neural pathways form, supporting neuroplasticity — our brains and attachment systems can change!

Offering corrective emotional experiences

AEDP draws from affective neuroscience.

Emotion is woven into our very life force and is center stage in the healing and growth processes of AEDP. Emotion is the fertile ground from which healing happens and attachment grows. Corrective emotional, relational, and new experiences can occur.

The AEDP therapist is present to the emotional pain of the client. As a body-focused approach, the therapist includes somatic experience while guiding the client to work through previously overwhelming emotional experiences to a sense of resolution.

A closely attuned therapist tracks how things land and what feels right and good. The therapist is intentional and supports the emergence of adaptive and helpful emotions.

With a resolution of trauma and difficulties, the client feels better, more understood, no longer fearful, and more regulated and capable. 

And, with AEDP, this is not the endpoint.

Beyond traditional therapies

Where many therapies end, AEDP begins. AEDP doesn't stop at simply the resolution of symptoms. With the healing of an issue, an inquiry process can begin: 'what's it like to feel better, stronger, more understood, less afraid?'  

Together, the therapist and client can relish new and good emotions. Transformational experience can grow and spiral. There can be the emergence of new feelings and capacities that have been dormant. 

The AEDP therapist explores the positive as carefully as other therapists might examine problems. When held, adaptive, positive emotions are sources of resilience and foster health and well-being.

Positive experiences can emerge that include a feeling of mastery over what was previously challenging — 'I did what I thought I'd never do!'. This newfound emotion can also include mourning what was not once available or expressing fear that comes with the excitement of a new potential now present. Additionally, there might be a feeling of being moved and filled with love and gratitude. 

And, there is still more to come, with the possibility of the core state.

Core state

Core state is where AEDP joins with spiritual traditions. 

Experiences of kindness, compassion, joy, peace, and generosity naturally come forth in the safe context created by the AEDP therapist. 

The client may find a coherent autobiographical narrative that creates a peaceful understanding of their trauma and life challenges. The client can reflect on their past, present, and future with compassion for themselves and others. A clear sense of truth is present.

Summary

AEDP is an experiential, relational, transformational form of therapy that works to undo feelings of aloneness from experiencing emotions in isolation.

AEDP facilitates a deep connection between body, mind, and emotions to promote healing from within. As an evidence-based psychotherapy, the effectiveness of AEDP is proven.

AEDP helps people to become stronger at the broken places. And, unlike traditional therapies, AEDP fosters growth and joins spiritual traditions in accessing and expanding states of love, joy, compassion, and gratitude.

How to get started

I'd be delighted to walk beside you as you begin AEDP experiential work. Explore your capacity to heal. Contact me today.