“The roots of resilience...are to be found in the sense of being understood by and existing in the mind and heart of of a loving, attuned, and self-possessed other.”

Diana Fosha, founder of AEDP

What is AEDP?

AEDP stands for Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy. It’s a therapy approach rooted in affective neuroscience, based on the idea that we all have an innate capacity to heal when we experience feeling safe and emotionally connected.

A central theme of AEDP is the healing power of relationship. Growth happens when emotions are felt and shared with another person who responds with authentic care and attunement. Over time, this safe connection helps your brain integrate experiences of safety to form new patterns that support greater emotional resilience, confidence, and self-compassion.

How does AEDP work?

In AEDP, the focus is on what’s happening in the present moment, both inside you and between you and your therapist. Instead of just talking about your experiences, AEDP explores how your emotions show up in your body and what they might be trying to tell you. The idea is that by attuning to what’s going on in the present, you and your therapist can begin to process emotions that have felt too overwhelming to handle alone in the past.

“AEDP psychotherapy is an experiential model that seeks to alleviate patients’ psychological suffering by helping them process the overwhelming emotions associated with trauma in a way that facilitates corrective emotional and relational experiences that mobilize positive changes in our neuroplastic brains.” - AEDP website

What is AEDP used to treat?

There is direct empirical support for the effectiveness of AEDP as a psychotherapy model. The results from Iwakabe and colleagues’ (2020, 2022) practice-research network study examining treatment outcomes of 16-session AEDP in ecologically valid private practice settings, showed that AEDP psychotherapy is effective with a variety of psychological symptoms and issues, including depression, emotion dysregulation, negative thoughts, experiential avoidance, and interpersonal problems. AEDP is also effective in enhancing positive functioning such as self-compassion, well-being, and self-esteem. These improvements are maintained over 12 months, and the maintenance of improvement was observed in all areas of functioning.

Team Members Trained in IFS

  • Rachel Schick (she/her)

    Associate Counselor

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