Accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP) is an integrative model of psychotherapy that brings together relational and experiential work, with the aim of not only alleviating suffering but also bringing about flourishing. The present study took place within a developing AEDP practice research network and examined outcomes for 62 self-referred adults treated using a 16-session format of AEDP treatment. Participants completed self-report measures before and following treatment. Measures assessed a variety of psychological problems, subjective distress, as well as aspects of positive psychological functioning. Treatment occurred in naturalistic independent practice outpatient settings in the United States, Canada, Israel, Japan, and Sweden. Large effect sizes (d Ͼ 0.80) were obtained for clinical problems and subjective distress. The majority of patients evidenced clinically reliable change according to Jacobson, Roberts, Berns, and McGlinchey's (1999) criteria. Effectiveness was further examined by dividing the sample into a clinical group with pervasive and severe problems and a subclinical group with fewer problems and mild severity. Within the clinical group, total and global scores on all measures improved significantly following treatment. Effect sizes were d Ͼ 1.00 for all scales. The subclinical group also demonstrated significant improvements, with effect sizes ranging from d ϭ 0.46 to d ϭ 2.07. These results provide initial empirical support for the effectiveness of AEDP as a model of therapy that can effect meaningful and significant improvements across a range of psychological symptoms. Clinical Impact StatementQuestion: This study examines the effectiveness of accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP), a transdiagnostic treatment for psychological problems and positive psychological functioning in independent practice settings. Clinical researchers and practitioners partnered in the development of an AEDP practice research network (PRN) model. Findings: Findings support the use of AEDP for a range of presenting problems and symptoms. Meaning: Results support the clinical application of AEDP across a variety of psychological problems and functionings and ongoing research using a PRN model. Next Steps: Future research will continue AEDP PRN initiatives and partnerships in independent practice settings and will investigate maintenance of therapeutic gains over a 6-and 12-month follow-up period.

We present a single case phenomenological study of a client’s subjective experience of the initial session of accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP; Fosha, 2021). It investigates the AEDP phenomenon of healing from the get-go, therapeutic experiences that can begin in the very first session, by examining an example in which the client felt particularly impacted by the very first session. The client was an adult male in his 40s experiencing emotional “deadness.” The therapist was the originator of AEDP. The client was interviewed for 2 hr about his subjective experience in the initial session of therapy. The data were analyzed using the interpretative phenomenological approach. Eight themes were found in three domains. Three themes were found in the domain of the therapist and therapeutic relationship: extraordinary empathy, unequivocal affirmation, and profound connection. Two themes were found in the domain of significant in-session experiences: integrating the emotional self and welcoming change and accompanying positive emotions. Finally, three themes were found in the domain of general change: practicing emotional competence, deep transformation, and energy aliveness and positivity. Therapeutic relational conditions set a stage for the dyad to access the client’s core issues or the source of suffering as well as his internal resources and strengths from the beginning of therapy and to produce positive emotions such as a sense of achievement in doing so. These themes will be discussed in relation to the in-session exchanges between the therapist and the client.

Accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEDP; Fosha, 2000, 2021b) is an integrative, healing-oriented, mind–body, affect-focused therapy. A posttreatment outcome study demonstrated AEDP’s effectiveness (Iwakabe et al., 2020) on a variety of measures of psychological functioning. This study sought to address AEDP’s long-term effectiveness. As previously reported, 63 adult patients completed a 16-session AEDP treatment with qualified therapists in private practice in the United States, Canada, Israel, Japan, and Sweden. Forty patients responded to 6-month follow-up and 52 responded to 12-month follow-up. Results indicate that patients maintained their posttreatment therapeutic gains, both 6 and 12 months later. Large effect sizes (d = 0.74 to d = 1.60) both for reductions on measures of psychopathology (e.g., depression, negative automatic thoughts, experiential avoidance) and improvements on measures of positive mental health (e.g., well-being, self-compassion) were obtained. Patients with more pervasive and severe problems tended to have larger effect sizes (all ds > 1.0) and a larger proportion of them achieved clinically significant change over 6 and 12 months than patients with subclinical symptomatology. Piecewise growth modeling was used to confirm these results, with attrition over the follow-up period taken into account. Consistent with the above findings, piecewise growth modeling similarly showed that patients significantly improved from pre- to posttreatment and maintained gains from posttreatment through the 6- and 12-month follow-up. These results provide empirical support for the long-term effectiveness of AEDP for alleviating a variety of psychological problems and enhancing positive functioning.