Join the AEDP® Experiential Assistant Learning Community

Qualifications & Requirements for EALC Membership

Joining the Experiential Assistant Learning Community (EALC) is an opportunity to deepen your AEDP practice, contribute to the learning of others, and connect with a supportive professional community. To be part of EALC, you must:

• Be a licensed Mental Health Professional, legally practicing in your state, province, or country.
• Demonstrate a commitment to AEDP and the AEDP Institute community.

Active Participation Requirement

• Assist in at least one course per year — either one Immersion course or one Essential Skills module within a 12-month period — to maintain active EALC membership.

Prerequisites for Assisting in Courses

To assist in Immersion Courses

• Completion of AEDP Immersion and Essential Skills (ES1) courses.
• Some prior AEDP Supervision or Advanced Skills Module (ASM) experience is preferred.
• Alternatively, a recommendation from a Supervisor, Faculty member, or Experiential Assistant from your ES1 group may qualify you to assist directly.

To Assist in Essential Skills (ES1) Courses

• Meet all Immersion Assistant requirements.
• Must have previously assisted in one AEDP Immersion course.

To Assist Advanced Skills (ASM) Courses

• Meet all ES1 Assistant requirements.
• Must have assisted in 10 ES1 modules.
• Must receive a recommendation from your supervisor.

Connection to Supervisor & Certification Pathways

• Assisting in courses is a required component for becoming a Supervisor in Training.
• Additional Assisting is required for AEDP Certification, providing essential hands-on experience in the model. click here for all guidelines

💡 Not sure if you qualify—or want to explore assisting before fully committing?
You’re welcome to shadow an Assistant at an upcoming Immersion course to see the role in action. For more information, reach out to Penny Gallagly.

EALC Benefits

Training Opportunities

• Complimentary quarterly live EALC trainings
• Access to a library of recorded trainings

2026 Training Schedule (All trainings held Fridays, 12:00 – 2:00 PM EST)

• January 16: Dr. Allison Brownlee — Attunement in Practice: Leading Experiential Groups with Heart and Mind
• March 20: H. Jacquie Perman, Ph.D. — Slowing Down & Co-Regulating Anxiety and Fear
• June 12: Simone Levey — Topic TBD
• July 10: Danny Yeung — Slowing Down & Co-Regulating Anxiety and Fear
• October 16: Dale Trimble — Working with Shame

Assistants attend the course they are assisting in at no cost.

AEDP Membership
As a special thank-you for their contributions, assistants receive one complimentary year of Annual AEDP Membership, regardless of how many courses they assist in. This membership includes:

• Premium Directory listing
• Access to the AEDP Clinical Discussion Listserv
• Free access to Transformance Talks, Clinician’s Corner, and Reading Together

It’s our way of honoring the time, energy, and heart assistants bring to the AEDP community.

Additional Benefits

• After assisting in all five modules of the same ES1 course:
  • One complimentary live online seminar ($250 value or course credit)
  • One complimentary On-Demand seminar
• After assisting in any four ES1 modules:
  • One complimentary On-Demand seminar for each additional module assisted

(To claim your benefits, please email Marilia.)

Attend course-specific EA meetings, typically scheduled before, during, or after training sessions, sometimes over lunch. Uphold the ethical guidelines and ethos of the AEDP® Institute both during training and in any contact with students outside of class. Maintain professional boundaries and communication while supporting the curriculum and approach of the training. Assist in creating a safe, regulated, and supportive environment that fosters student learning and monitors group and interpersonal dynamics. Always adhere to the AEDP® Institute’s Dual Relationship Policy.

To participate in the EALC program, you must complete an online application (see button below). Only applicants with a completed application will be considered for EA positions, and you will be notified of acceptance or reasons for non-acceptance. Accepted applicants will be informed of which courses they are eligible to assist—Immersion, ES1, and/or ES2. New EALC members are added to a special EA-only discussion group for communication and collaboration (coming soon) and will be included in the list of EAs invited to assist in upcoming courses. To remain in the program, EAs must accept at least one offer per year, either 1 Immersion or 1 Skills module every 12 months.