Accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP)
Accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) is used to address various mental health concerns such as trauma, depression, or overwhelming emotions. AEDP offers a unique, healing-oriented treatment model that emphasizes building a supportive therapeutic relationship. It creates a safe and nurturing environment to explore and process your experiences during therapy sessions. The goal is to help you heal emotional pain and build healthier relationships by helping you process intense feelings connected to past trauma. By digging into core emotions and providing a supportive space, AEDP aims to guide you towards rediscovering self-compassion and unlocking your true self on the journey to better well-being.
What are the origins of accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP)?
The AEDP model for therapy was first introduced in the year 2000 by Dr. Diana Fosha in her book The Transforming Power of Affect: A Model for Accelerated Change. Over time, AEDP has gained widespread recognition and adoption by therapists around the world. Its techniques and outcomes continue to be studied, advancing its evolution into a transformative and experiential modality. Dr. Fosha’s dedication to creating a healing-centered approach to trauma treatment has made AEDP a pioneering method embraced by therapists around the world.
When is accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) used?
AEDP is particularly beneficial for those who have experienced trauma and are looking to work through the emotional aftermath in a supportive environment. AEDP is also used to address a wide variety of psychological challenges and can help many people improve their emotional well-being.
This can include enhancing emotional resilience, navigating relationship difficulties, and cultivating more secure attachment styles. AEDP differs from other forms of therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), because it emphasizes emotional exploration, processing, and relational experiences. Rooted in affective neuroscience, AEDP can treat a variety of condition, including:
- Trauma and PTSD
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Attachment issues
- Relationship difficulties
- Eating disorders
- Emotion dysregulation
- Negative thoughts
How does accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) work?
AEDP is a therapy that helps you work through tough emotions, especially from past traumas. This type of therapy helps people process overwhelming or difficult emotions through an experience of secure connection with their therapist. You’ll identify and embrace core emotions instead of suppressing them. This emotional experience, along with the connection between client and therapist, is what encourages positive change.
Overall, the goal of AEDP is to help clients build secure emotional connections with others — including a secure therapeutic relationship with their provider — and accomplish what Dr. Fosha refers to as “undoing aloneness.”
The therapy also incorporates the concept of transformance, which the AEDP Institute defines as “the overarching motivational force driving positive change.” Through a “change triangle” model, AEDP helps you recognize defenses and core feelings, guiding you toward deeper emotional experiences and ways to achieve personal development.
For example: Imagine someone whose car breaks down and they don’t know how they’re going to pay for it. Meanwhile, they’ve already been stressed about work, and are worried about layoffs. This person and their therapist could use the Change Triangle to explore where the client is on the triangle. They may be flooded with an “inhibitory emotion” like shame.
Therapists can use this intervention to help the client “work down the triangle,” and experience the core emotion — which, in our example, might be fear or anger — within the context of a safe relationship. The goal of AEDP is to help the client experience the openhearted state of the authentic self.
Overall, AEDP encourages you to focus on the experience of emotions and connection with others — even while you’re dealing with difficult emotions. Finally, because AEDP is rooted in attachment theory, a key aspect is building a safe and caring relationship with your therapist to address feelings of isolation, which leads to healing, resilience, and connection.
What is accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) like?
During an AEDP session, your therapist will guide you through exploring and processing challenging emotions, particularly those linked to past trauma or difficult experiences. Together with your therapist, you will reflect on past experiences, and sit with the feelings that come up, as well as any bodily sensations that occur.
AEDP therapists engage in moment-to-moment tracking to help you process emotions. They use attachment-oriented language to validate your experiences. This could be statements like, “I am here with you,” or “You’re not alone.”
Therapists may also engage in what’s referred to as “self-involving self-disclosure,” related to the therapy session itself. For example, a therapist might say, “I noticed your expression changed when I mentioned your divorce. I’m wondering if maybe what I said didn’t sit right with you.” This type of vulnerable exchange is key to creating a bond between client and therapist that’s critical to AEDP’s success.
This helps create a space that deepens both self-awareness and emotional understanding. This process includes “metaprocessing discussions,” which includes talking about what it’s like to be in therapy with the therapist. For example, “What was it like to share this information with me today? Is there a way I could have responded differently so you felt more heard or cared for?”
How long does accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) take?
The duration of AEDP therapy can vary depending on your needs and goals. Sessions typically last around an hour, and the total number of sessions you need can range from a few sessions to several months or more. You and your therapist will work together to create a treatment plan, assess progress, and determine an appropriate length of treatment. AEDP is designed to promote efficient and effective emotional processing, but the length of treatment ultimately depends on your unique circumstances and therapeutic objectives.
Is accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) effective?
Research has shown that AEDP can be effective in treating a wide range of psychological problems. One study showed significant improvements in both clinical and subclinical groups following a structured 16-session AEDP treatment protocol. The findings suggest that AEDP therapy can lead to meaningful and significant improvements in psychological symptoms within a relatively short time frame.
AEDP therapy has demonstrated promise in promoting emotional processing and facilitating psychological growth and positive well-being. These results highlight the effectiveness of AEDP as a valuable approach in addressing psychological distress and enhancing positive mental health in individuals undergoing therapy.
Who is AEDP not recommended for?
This treatment is not recommended for people who are experiencing active suicidal thoughts, addiction or substance abuse, psychosis, severe impulse disorders, bipolar disorder, or a moderate to severe autism spectrum diagnosis.
In addition, AEDP should not be the first line of treatment for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis. Individuals in these circumstances should first receive immediate crisis intervention. Once they are stabilized, AEDP may be considered.
How to find an accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) therapist
If you think AEDP might be right for you, it’s important to speak with a licensed and experienced clinician who has AEDP training. There are many types of mental health care providers who practice AEDP, including licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), and more.
On top of finding a therapist who is skilled in AEDP, you want to make sure they meet your other needs. For example, if you struggle with an anxiety disorder, you’ll want to find an AEDP therapist who also specializes in treating anxiety. In addition, finding a therapist who accepts your insurance can make therapy much more affordable.
You can find a therapist who accepts your insurance and specializes in accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) by using Grow Therapy. After filtering for your location, insurance, and needs, you can then select “Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)” from the “Treatment methods” drop-down.