Thank you @jordanfstephens for sharing about how AEDP has impacted your life and @hilaryjacobshendel for sharing the Change Triangle with him. We love hearing stories of how AEDP is working for people. Keep sharing and telling us how!
Published by APA
By Natasha C. N. Prenn, Hanna Levenson, Alexandre Vaz, and Tony Rousmaniere
Overview:
Deliberate practice exercises help trainees achieve competence in essential accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy skills and apply them in a variety of contexts while honing their own personal style.
These exercises present role-playing scenarios in which two trainees act as a client and a therapist, switching back and forth under the guidance of a supervisor. The therapist improvises appropriate and authentic responses to client statements organized into three difficulty levels—beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
Each of the first 12 exercises focuses on a single skill to help clients access core emotions, process past traumas, and build secure attachments. The skills include moment-to-moment tracking, validating and reframing anxieties and defenses, and initiating portrayals (i.e., speaking to an imagined other or self). Two comprehensive exercises follow in which trainees integrate these skills into a single session.
Step-by-step instructions guide participants through the exercises, identify criteria for mastering the skills, and explain how to monitor and adjust difficulty. Guidelines to help trainers and trainees get the most out of training are also provided.
It is my great pleasure to announce that Tammy Choi from Hong Kong has been certified as an AEDP Therapist. The followings are the comments from the two reviewers:
Reviewer 1:
What strikes me first was Tammy’s sturdy holding presence, which felt gentle, wise and motherly, that helped Client accompanied with clear direction at moments of paralyzing terror or unprocessed grief. Also consistent, was her capacity of resonating with client at moments of relief and comfort. She also presented a clear understanding about the transformation process and consistent efforts to move client forward, catching the glimmers of transformance and expanding the emergence of positive affects/recognition along the way.
She also made good use of her own positive vision as explicit guidance and disclose her genuine experiences of being moved to support the process. Her active and loving presence again served as a healing contrast to Client’s past relational environment and facilitated Client to move along, feel, imagine, and process feelings Client had not accessed in the past.
Reviewer 2:
I am particularly amused by therapists explicit celebration with client: You are happy, I am happy. We are all happy. (Reviewer also wanted to say: Me too). I am positively struck by therapist clear presence and radiating of lovingkindness to both client.
—————————————————————————————————————
The following is from Tammy who shares her journey in AEDP:
I am deeply honored and absolutely thrilled to be a member of the AEDP Certified Therapists community! My heart is filled with gratitude, especially for my supervisor, Esther Poon, whose unwavering support helped me trust and believe in myself every step of the way.
Discovering AEDP has been one of the most transformative moments in my career as a psychotherapist. AEDP offers a clear and compassionate psychological map, allowing me to help clients gently disarm their defenses through the Triangles of Experience and moment-to-moment tracking. This powerful approach guides clients toward authentic self-expression and, ultimately, to the emergence of their true selves. One of my greatest joys is learning to notice those glimmers of transformance in my clients—moments of profound growth and healing.
Through AEDP, I have found the freedom to bring my full humanity into the therapeutic relationship. I am profoundly grateful for this truly humanizing model of psychotherapy! AEDP empowers me to support clients with genuine emotion, fostering a mutually transformative process. As we help our clients heal, we ourselves are also touched and changed. This reciprocal flow of authentic connection creates a safe and uplifting space where both client and therapist are renewed by the power of human connection.
I absolutely love AEDP! It has reignited my original passion for psychotherapy. My hope is to continue learning and growing, so I can accompany clients into their pain and struggles—using my authentic self to help them release long-held emotional wounds. Together, we witness the blossoming of human compassion and universal love, here in Hong Kong and around the world.
—————————————————————————————————
It has been a privilege to serve as Tammy’s supervisor since she began her journey in AEDP, both in group and individual supervision. Tammy consistently demonstrates an exceptional eagerness to learn and grow in AEDP. Her compassionate and loving care for her clients shines through in every session, and this dedication is vividly evident in every video I have reviewed. Tammy’s passion for AEDP is matched by her remarkable growth and improvement over time. What sets Tammy apart is not only her clinical skill but also her intellectual engagement with AEDP theory. Her ability to integrate theory into practice reflects her deep commitment to mastering AEDP.
It has been my great joy to witness Tammy’s remarkable journey as a therapist who truly embodies the spirit of AEDP. Her enthusiasm, dedication, and compassion have been a blessing to everyone around her. Her certification also brings immense value to the AEDP community in Hong Kong. Her continuous contributions have undoubtedly inspired and supported fellow practitioners, helping to foster a vibrant, supportive, and skillful AEDP community. I wholeheartedly celebrate her success and look forward to working together in the growth of the community in Hong Kong.
Esther Poon MFT
Adjunct Faculty, AEDP Institute
Dear AEDP faculty, supervisors and supervisors in training,
I am delighted to welcome Martina Verba , LCSW, DSW to our AEDP Adjunct Faculty. After careful review of her qualifications, extensive teaching experience, and profound commitment to the AEDP model, we are thrilled to have her join our teaching faculty of the AEDP Institute.
Martina brings a remarkable combination of clinical expertise, teaching excellence, and deep dedication to AEDP that makes her a wonderful addition to our faculty.
Martina’s teaching portfolio is both impressive and growing. Before joining the AEDP community, she was an Adjunct professor of counselling techniques at the Simmons College in Boston. She has extensive experience assisting with over 10 AEDP courses and has served as lead assistant for 2 courses. Her recent seminar on “ Relational Interventions as Part of the Cure: AEDP in the Treatment of Eating Disorders” has garnered significant attention and excellent reviews. Over the years, Martina has regularly taught on AEDP and AEDP for Treating Eating Disorders at the National Institute of Psychotherapies (NIP), as well as other organizations.
What sets Martina apart as an AEDP presenter/teacher is her ability to balance theoretical knowledge with her authentic personal style. Her teaching approach is characterized by warmth, humor, and a remarkable ability to distill complex concepts into clear, accessible teaching moments. She responds to questions and comments with genuine welcoming and encouragement, creating safety and an environment where learning flourishes.
As a certified AEDP therapist and supervisor, Martina embodies AEDP’s core principles in both her clinical work and teaching. She has a remarkable capacity to attune to patients with warmth, compassion, and presence, with evident mastery of AEDP principles and the ability to weave the 9 change mechanisms seamlessly into her work. At the beginning of our AEDP research project, i.e., in 2016, she worked successively and successfully with three research patients and actively contributed to the weekly supervision groups. For the past three years, she has been a valued member of an AEDP supervision group for advanced clinicians.
Beyond individual excellence, Martina is also a community builder. During the pandemic, she led a group that studied AEDP 2.0 chapter-by-chapter in her local community. She is recognized for her innovative approach to treating eating disorders with AEDP. Her reflections on leadership, particularly her understanding of the “older wiser” approach and sensitivity to varied experience levels, align perfectly with AEDP educational philosophy.
We are particularly excited about Martina’s sensitivity to the learning process and her understanding of how to create safe spaces for both seasoned clinicians and those new to AEDP. Her authentic approach and keen intellect will undoubtedly enrich our educational offerings and strengthen our teaching community.
Please join me in welcoming Martina to the AEDP teaching faculty. I am confident that her clinical acumen, teaching skills, and genuine passion for the AEDP model will make her a wonderful addition to our community. Both our institute and our students will benefit greatly from her presence.
Welcome aboard Martina!!!!
Warmly,
Diana
Diana Fosha, PhD, Director
On behalf of the AEDP Institute
Dear Faculty, Supervisors, and Supervisors in Training,
It is with great pleasure that I share wonderful news: Michael Mondoro LCSW will be joining us as AEDP Institute Adjunct Faculty. We are delighted to welcome the depth of experience, dedication, and vision that Michael brings to the AEDP community.
Michael’s journey with AEDP began in 2012 and has clearly been one of deep commitment and continuous growth. His teaching evaluation scores speak to his exceptional ability to engage and inspire learners. Michael’s specialization in complex trauma and trauma-related dissociation brings highly valuable clinical depth that will benefit participants. This also addresses a need in our course offerings that we have become increasingly aware of. Alongside his deep immersion in AEDP, Michael brings a wealth of experience from complementary clinical models, enriching his teaching with a broad and integrative perspective. His self-described “intuitive, down-to-earth style,” combined with warmth, humor, and attunement to diverse learning needs, is a gift that aligns perfectly with AEDP’s ethos of undoing aloneness in the learning environment.
Michael is already a gifted and passionate teacher and supervisor. Some of his contributions include:
· His most recent seminar: From Fear to Flow: Confidently Navigating Dissociative States with AEDP. It received superlative reviews.
· Ongoing complex trauma consultation group-meets-seminar series, Transforming Trauma with AEDP, integrating didactic learning, supervision, and his own clinical video
· An AEDP mini-course at the National Institute for Psychotherapies (NIP), which has received high praise
· Development of an AEDP-related course for the Advanced Clinical Trauma and Loss Seminar Series at New York University’s Zelda Foster Studies Program in PELC
· Presentations for organizations such as A Home Within, reflecting his commitment to community service
Current Practice:
· Offering four AEDP consultation groups and individual supervision in his practice
· Teaching a total of 39 AEDP learners monthly
Beyond the activities above, Michael has provided invaluable service to our AEDP community. He has served on the Education Committee and has been invited to, and accepted, a position on the Steering Committee.
Michael’s dedication to working with LGBTQ+-identified clients and individuals with complex PTSD is informed by his abiding commitment to inclusivity, social justice, and the transformative power of AEDP. Inspired by the “in it together” spirit of the AEDP conference and the presentation of the Vision Collective, taking a page from the AEDP Institute’s initiative, Michael will be offering two “pay what you wish” supervision groups: one for people who identify as BIPOC, and another for people who identify as LGBTQ+. His service is deeply appreciated.
I am thrilled to welcome Michael’s passion for AEDP, commitment to the learning process, and belief in the power of community. We are confident that he will bring the same care, rigor, and heart to teaching that he has embodied throughout his own AEDP journey. We look forward to his contribution to our community and to our own ongoing growth and development as faculty and supervisors.
Welcome, dear Michael. It is an honor and pleasure to have you aboard.
Warmly,
Diana
Diana Fosha, PhD, Director
On behalf of the AEDP Institute
Dear Beloved Community,
It is with the utmost joy and delight that I and Kate Halliday bring you the announcement that Elley Newton is now a Certified AEDP Therapist!
I have had the good fortune of being Elley’s certification supervisor and can wholeheartedly attest to her excellence as an AEDP Certified Therapist. Elley possesses all the qualities as a person as well as a therapist that you would want in a relationship. Elley brings such a warm, caring presence that is both respectful and grounding. She is highly attuned, regulating and tracks the process so skillfully. Elley’s client’s feel so accompanied by her and she is a wonderful transformance detector who is always on the lookout for those glimmers to cultivate. Elley is also highly self-reflective and open to learning.
I also had the privilege of having Elley be an Experiential Assistant in one of the ES Trainings that I Co-Lead Assisted and her participants were delighted with her. One said: “I hope you become a Supervisor soon!”
This is what Kate Halliday had to say about her experience supervising Elley:
I am full of delight to be celebrating this significant milestone for Elley. Elley is one of the members of the AEDP Finger Lakes regional group here in North western New York State, so it’s with special pride that we recognize her. As her supervisor in a long-running group, I feel especially proud *with* her that she’s managed to find time (and the determination) between her full caseload and parenting a still- young child to dig deep into the model, internalized it, and demonstrate her understanding with such reliably excellent clinical work.
Continue reading “Congratulations to Elley Newton, LCSW-R– AEDP’s newest Certified Therapist!”
Reflections from the 2025 AEDP Conference
In It Together
As we reflect on the 2025 AEDP Conference, we’re filled with deep gratitude for the richness of our time together. This year’s theme, “In It Together“, came to life through powerful keynote presentations and moving experiential clinical videos. We witnessed the power of community in action and the genuine, heartfelt connections that unfolded across our global network.
Click here to go to the Reflections Page on the website to view pictures
May 5th, 2025
It is with immense pleasure that Ben Lipton and I announce that John Wiskind is now a Certified AEDP Supervisor!!!
Of his work, John’s reviewers wrote…
“John Wiskind demonstrates the relational presence, cultural sensitivity, and faithful use of AEDP models that the Institute requires for supervisor certification. His rich clinical excerpts exemplify how he privileges positive affect, undoes aloneness, and scaffolds supervisees’ emerging capacities.”
Exploring Core State and the Role of Implicit Relational Messages in AEDP: A Call for Collaboration
I’m excited to share news of my soon-to-be-launched doctoral study exploring a key dimension of AEDP: Core State phenomena, and the role of implicit relational messages (IRMs) in their unfolding.
Read More
Dear AEDP community,
On behalf of Jerry Lamagna and myself, it is not only our pleasure but also our honor to share with you the news that Nichola aka “Nicky” Cameron is now a certified AEDP therapist.
Nicky’s path to certification involved individual supervision with both Jerry and myself, as well as a year of the Vision Collective+ Core Training, that core training group co-led by Karen Pando-Mars and me.
Continue reading “Congratulations to Nicky Cameron, LCSW – AEDP’s newest Certified Therapist!”
On behalf of Diana Fosha and myself, I could not be more delighted to share with you that Ilene Yasemsky is now a certified AEDP Supervisor.
Continue reading “Congratulations to Ilene Yasemsky: Now an AEDP Certified Supervisor!”