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This On Demand series provides a succinct, in-depth look at the 9 affective change processes that AEDP therapists seek to target with their interventions to bring about transformational change and healing.

Summary of AEDP’s “Magnificent 9 +1 Affective Change Processes”

AEDP is a transformational therapy centered on naturally occurring emotional change processes that facilitate healing through relational and experiential work between therapist and patient.

Background & Development: The therapy’s effectiveness has been validated through empirical research, leading to the systematization of AEDP psychotherapy’s core mechanisms into “The Magnificent 9 +1 Affective Change Processes Scale.” This framework attempts to capture and measure what makes AEDP particularly effective.

The 9 Core Affective Change Processes:

1. Transformance detection & affirmation of the self – Recognizing and validating the patient’s inherent capacity for growth
2. Noticing & seizing moments of emergence – Identifying and capitalizing on breakthrough opportunities
3. Undoing aloneness – Creating connection to heal isolation
4. Experiential focus – Emphasizing felt experience over just talking about problems
5. Disarming defenses – Gently working through protective mechanisms
6. Regulating dysregulated experience – Helping stabilize overwhelming emotions
7. Processing core affective experience – Working through fundamental emotions toward corrective emotional experiences
8. Broadening & building transformational experience – Expanding and integrating positive changes (metatherapeutic processing)
9. Expanding core state experiences – Integrating transformation into the patient’s sense of self

The “+1” Mystery Factor: An additional element that accounts for aspects of AEDP’s effectiveness that may not be fully captured by the nine identified processes.

This framework serves as both a practical guide for therapists and a research tool for measuring therapeutic outcomes and processes in AEDP practice.

AEDP® INSTITUTE  REGISTRATION AND LICENSE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND PROMISE OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND RESPECT.

By registering for this course you agree to all the terms of this license: you are purchasing a limited license to use and access the above-referenced content from the AEDP Institute and agreeing to the following terms.

This training is intended to be viewed only by licensed mental health professionals, individuals who hold an equivalent credential in their region, or those legally practicing under the license of a licensed clinician.

​This content contains training in the theory and practice of AEDP and excerpts from or descriptions of actual clinical therapy sessions with patients, as well as descriptions of patients and their treatment. These patients have graciously and generously consented to this use of their experiences)

In return, as a professional, you have two important duties: Confidentiality and Respect.

CONFIDENTIALITY: By licensing and using this content, you are agreeing to keep this content confidential. You may use this content only for its intended educational and training purposes, and you agree not to disclose this content to others. DO NOT SHARE THIS CONTENT WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE, ADDITIONAL WRITTEN PERMISSION. (If you want to share this content with others in what you believe is an appropriate professional setting, you must first obtain that additional written permission. To that end, or for related questions, please contact admin@AEDPInstitute.org).

RESPECT: As professionals, we share an ethic of respect for our patients and for each other. Please respect the patients who have allowed their therapists to share this content in this way and respect the decision they have made to reveal themselves so that you can learn how to help other patients more effectively. Therefore, even beyond any other legal obligation of confidentiality, you agree to treat this content the same way you would treat the experiences and records of your own patients. For example, do not view this content in a public place, or in some other way that would allow others to see or hear it. Do not share any information about the patients depicted in this content that might lead to someone identifying these patients.

Professionals also respect the work of their colleagues. Therefore, you are agreeing not to infringe the intellectual property contained in and constituted by this content. For example, do not copy this content or share or distribute it in any way without the appropriate written permission (see above). 

You are also agreeing to respect the spirit in which your fellow professionals are offering this content. Psychotherapy is not an exact science, and patient responses and outcomes will always vary based on the individual and many other factors. Therefore, you are agreeing that you understand that the practices and techniques discussed in this content do not guarantee any particular patient outcome, and that the AEDP Institute and its advisors, faculty and staff (collectively, “the Institute”) are accepting no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any actions, omissions, injuries or damages by or of you or any third party. In addition, you agree that the Institute is not providing you with professional advice of any kind; does not owe you or your patients any expert, professional, heightened, special or fiduciary duty of any kind; and is not responsible for the statements or misstatements of others, intentional or otherwise.

IN NO EVENT WILL THE INSTITUTE, OR ANY PERSON OR ENTITY WITHIN THE INSTITUTE, OR DEPICTED IN THIS CONTENT BE LIABLE IN CONTRACT, IN TORT (INCLUDING FOR ITS OWN NEGLIGENCE) OR UNDER ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY (INCLUDING STRICT LIABILITY) FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR SIMILAR DAMAGES, LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES, LOSS OF USE, OR SIMILAR ECONOMIC LOSS, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF, CONTENT IN, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE CONTENT YOU ARE LICENSING.

For questions, please email us at admin@aepdinstitute.org

By registering for this course you agree to all the terms of the above license.

AEDP Institute On-Demand trainings are available via online streaming and cannot be downloaded. A stable, high-speed internet connection is recommended to support optimal viewing quality.

This training is intended to be viewed only by licensed mental health professionals, individuals who hold an equivalent credential in their region, or those legally practicing under the supervision of a licensed clinician.​ As part of the registration process, participants will be asked to verify their professional status and attest that they meet the eligibility requirements before completing payment and accessing the materials.

The AEDP® Model of Psychotherapy

The following statements describe the empirical foundation, accuracy, utility, scope, limitations, and clinical considerations relevant to the content presented in AEDP Courses.

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Empirical Basis

AEDP® Psychotherapy is supported by peer-reviewed empirical research published in established scholarly journals. Effectiveness studies conducted within a practice research network demonstrate significant symptom reduction (e.g., depression, maladaptive negative cognitions, interpersonal functioning, experiential avoidance) and significant increases in positive indices of mental health (e.g., self-compassion, flourishing) across diagnostic presentations (Iwakabe et al., 2020), with longitudinal follow-up findings indicating maintenance of gains at six and twelve months (Iwakabe et al., 2022). These outcome studies evaluated a 16-session AEDP treatment protocol.

Additional empirical investigations examine therapeutic process variables associated with flourishing and metatherapeutic processing (Fosha & Thoma, 2020; Fosha, Thoma, & Yeung, 2019), as well as psychometric validation of measures assessing positive affective transformation, including the Moments of Flourishing Experience Scale (Fosha et al., 2024). Collectively, this body of outcome and process research provides empirical support for the clinical principles and interventions taught in AEDP Courses.

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Accuracy, Utility, Scope and Limitations

AEDP is a transdiagnostic, transformation-oriented model of psychotherapy practiced with clients experiencing a wide range of psychological difficulties. Developed and primarily taught for individual psychotherapy, the model may be adapted by trained clinicians for work with couples, families, children, and groups when clinically appropriate; however, formal empirical research has focused primarily on its application in individual treatment.

AEDP was developed to address affective, relational, trauma-related, and depressive symptom presentations within an attachment-based, experiential framework. The empirical base is strongest for these domains, and findings from the 16-session research protocol should not be assumed to generalize automatically to all treatment formats, durations, or to individuals with severe or unstable psychiatric conditions.

AEDP was not designed as a first-line or stand-alone treatment for active psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder that is not medically stabilized, or active substance use disorders. In such cases, clinicians should ensure appropriate stabilization and integration with disorder-specific and medically coordinated care. As with all clinical models, effective application requires sound professional judgment, adherence to ethical standards, and practice within one’s scope of competence.

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Ongoing Research

Current research continues to investigate the therapeutic processes and specific AEDP interventions associated with transformational change. In addition, AEDP-informed psychotherapy is being studied in collaboration with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai within randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

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Risks and Clinical Considerations

As with all experiential and trauma-focused psychotherapies, potential risks include temporary increases in emotional distress, activation of traumatic memories, heightened affective arousal, interpersonal sensitivity, or destabilization if interventions are misapplied or insufficiently titrated. Severe risks are uncommon but may include significant dysregulation in vulnerable individuals if adequate screening, stabilization, and monitoring are not conducted. The model emphasizes careful attunement, pacing, and ongoing assessment to mitigate these risks.

Course Content Level: Advanced

Package 1: This training is eligible for 8.5 CE and consists of 7 Part(s) (viewing all parts is required for completion).
Package 2: This training is eligible for 5.75 CE and consists of 7 Part(s) (viewing all parts is required for completion).
Package 3: This training is eligible for 7.25 CE and consists of 6 Part(s) (viewing all parts is required for completion).
Package 4: This training is eligible for 8 CE and consists of 6 Part(s) (viewing all parts is required for completion).
Bundle: This training is eligible for 29.5 CE and consists of 26 Part(s) (viewing all parts is required for completion).

Requirement for CE:

a. Completion of all parts of the training

b. Purchase CE, which includes the post test ($25 per package, $40 Bundle)

c. Achieve a minimum score of 80% within three attempts

d. Upon completing and submitting the course evaluation, the CE certificate will be immediately available for download

Please note that it is the responsibility of the licensee to check with their individual state board to verify CE requirements for their state and reciprocal approvals.

Continuing education applications may be underway for various national and state-level boards and agencies. Please check back for updated  approvals or email admin@aedpinstitute.org with questions.

Disclosure

All planners and presenters have disclosed that they have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies. There is no commercial support for this program nor are there any relationships between AEDP Institute, the presenter, program content, research, grants, or other funding that could reasonably be construed as conflicts of interest.

Continuing Education (CE) Approvals

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
AEDP Institute, provider #2307, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: October 31, 2025 – October 31, 2026. Social Workers completing the training and CE requirements will receive:
(Package 1) 8.5 CE | (Package 2) 5.75 CE | (Package 3) 7.25 CE | (Package 4) 8 CE | (Bundle Package) 29.5 CE

New York Psychologists
AEDP Works, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0256. AEDP Works, LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This training is approved for (Package 1) 8.5 CE | (Package 2) 5.75 CE | (Package 3) 7.25 CE | (Package 4) 8 CE | (Bundle Package) 29.5 CE

New York Social Workers 
AEDP Works, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0805. This training is approved for (Package 1) 8.5 CE | (Package 2) 5.75 CE | (Package 3) 7.25 CE | (Package 4) 8 CE | (Bundle Package) 29.5 CE

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
AEDP Works, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7622. Counselors in all states except NY and MFTs in all states except NY and MA are eligible.  This training is approved for (Package 1) 8.5 continuing NBCC credits | (Package 2) 5.75 continuing NBCC credits | (Package 3) 7.25 continuing NBCC credits | (Package 4) 8 continuing NBCC credits | (Bundle Package) 29.5 CE

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