What is AEDP?
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that draws from attachment, neurobiology, and emotion-focused theories.
Beyond simply changing behaviors or attitudes, AEDP focuses on healing and change on a core level. Through co-creating a safe, authentic and treasured relationship, clients are invited to experience and share moment-to-moment emotions and sensations. Clients work to process painful past experiences by uncovering and experiencing difficult emotions as well as identifying and working through the defences they have built to manage their distress. New perspectives, insights, and truths emerge by integrating deep right brain somatic processes with left-brain understanding. Through this process, clients can experience adaptive nervous system changes, increased positivity, and greater clarity and hope.
Key Pillars of AEDP
- Experiential Focus: AEDP prioritizes in-the-moment emotional experiences and focuses on healing from the-get-go.
- Attachment-based: safe, nurturing relationships are the foundation for repair and growth.
- Transformational Change: the goal is not just symptom relief but lasting emotional transformation.
- Neurobiological Awareness: which refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new neural connections in response to experiences.
“We heal when we can be with what we feel. Turning toward an emotion instead of exiling them is what helps us move through them.” – The Wisdom of Your Body, Hillary McBride
What issues can AEDP Therapy treat?
AEDP therapists recognize that change often involves letting go of strategies that people initially developed to protect themselves. We support clients to tune into the wisdom of their core, adaptive feelings. When experienced fully, these healthy emotions provide important information about basic needs and guide people to act in ways that better fulfill these needs.
AEDP is especially effective for individuals who struggle with:
- Trauma and PTSD
- Anxiety and depression
- Relational challenges
- Grief and loss
- Emotional dysregulation
- Low self-worth or shame
- Attachment challenges, including childhood neglect or being raised by distant caregivers
AEDP also effectively enhances positive functioning, such as self-compassion, well-being, and self-esteem.
What is an AEDP session like?
The session begins with the therapist creating a safe environment where the client feels comfortable and supported. This might involve setting intentions for the session and checking in on the client’s current emotional state.
The therapist gently guides the client to explore their emotions and bodily sensations in the present moment. Using experiential techniques such as mindfulness and somatic awareness, the client learns to tune into their inner world with curiosity and compassion.
If the client has experienced trauma or emotional pain, the therapist helps them process these experiences in a safe and regulated manner. Through techniques such as guided imagery or emotion-focused processing, the client can release stuck emotions and find relief from their suffering.
As the session progresses, the client may experience moments of insight and transformation. These moments, known as “core affective experiences,” are characterized by a deep sense of connection, clarity, and healing. The therapist provides validation and support, helping the client integrate these experiences into their sense of self.
“The roots of resilience … are to be found in the sense of being understood by and existing in the mind and heart of a loving, attuned, and self-possessed other.” – Diana Fosha, PhD.
Why choose AEDP?
- Many clients experience significant breakthroughs in a relatively short time.
- AEDP honours your resilience and emphasizes positive transformation.
- You’ll feel supported, and not alone, as you navigate difficult emotions.
- AEDP engages the mind, body, and heart for comprehensive healing.
Experience with AEDP Therapy
Katelyn is a Level 1 AEDP clinician. The certification was facilitated by AEDP founder, Diana Fosha, PhD. You can learn more about AEDP through the AEDP Institute’s website.
If this style of therapy resonates with you, reach out by sending a message through our contact form.
Interested in learning more about AEDP?
