Arcs of transformation: Taxonomy of affective change using accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy.
Ronen-Setter, I. H. (2025). Arcs of transformation: Taxonomy of affective change using accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy. Practice Innovations. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/pri0000278
Emotions and feelings, often referred to as affects, are the fundamental agents of transformation in experiential therapeutic settings. This article explores psychotherapeutic affective change in the form of arcs of transformation and suggests a comprehensive taxonomy of transformation for processed affects. The term “arc of transformation” refers to the overarching sequence of an experientially processed affect and its expected outcome, from triggering conditions yielding affects to adaptive affective experience processing, resulting in appropriate transformative action tendencies and resolution, all leading to well-being and resilience. Through accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy, a research-based experiential therapeutic model, we integrate clinical observations with theoretical understandings of emotions and demonstrate the suggested taxonomy of the arcs of transformation of affective change processes in psychotherapy. Using a coherent description of the transformation expected by processing the described affects, therapists may use this article to plan their path to creating change, directed by a guided classification of adaptive outcomes that will clear their vision regarding expected goals while experientially processing a particular affect. Consequently, therapists and patients could work on emotional experiences aiming to identify, process, and promote adaptive action tendencies accompanied by healing affects, all directed toward recovery and growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Impact Statement
This article explores the processes that constitute affective change through accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy. It offers a taxonomy of “arcs of transformation,” unfolding the sequence of processing core emotions toward their resolution and subsequent action tendencies. The novelty of classifying affects and their expected emotional outcomes when processed experientially has direct clinical relevance, aiding therapists in identifying the specific inner experience to be processed and its anticipated emotional resolution. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Copyright
Year: 2025
Holder: American Psychological Association
A letter from Diana:
dear all,
i am bringing to your attention a major contribution to the detailed understanding of emotional processing in AEDP that has just been published: Idit Ronen-Setter’s Arcs of Transformation. It is a major contribution to the work on emotion processing in AEDP, i.e., State 2 work. aside from being a brilliant integration of theoretical writings on emotion from affective neuroscience, emotion theory as well as AEDP and other experiential therapies, it takes the mysterious concept of “processing to completion” and it unpacks its meaning. not only tha , it describes in detail the phenomenology of ‘completion’ for various emotions and the gives rich clinical examples that illustrate it in clinical action. in addition to describing the characteristic arcs of transformation of the categorical emotions — fear, anger, sadness, disgust, joy– idit also describes the arcs of transformation of adaptive shame and adaptive guilt.This is relatively uncharted territory in AEDP; not shame and guild as maladaptive experiences but rather shame and guilt as adaptive experiences crucial to our being honorable members of our communities and social groups. now more than ever, we want to celebrate adaptive shame and adaptive guilt as important emotional experiences. their completion allow both for self forgiveness (taking them out of the maladaptive realm) and just as importantly on making amends, repairs and taking responsibility/accountability for our hurtful and less than noble actions, thus allowing us to work on being better human beings and caring members of our social communities
one last thing: for all those in our community who are newer to AEDP and for
all those considering going for certification in AEDP, this paper will demystify ‘processing to completion”
thank you Idit for an important contribution to the AEDP canon, and more specifically to the ongoing elucidation of the phenomenology of the transformational process. and also such important work on adaptive shame and adaptive guilt and their profound gifts
diana