AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success
As I was dreaming up this piece, I really got into thinking about how most of my content has been talking about what I do, who I work with and how I show up to our sessions. I realized, however, that I don’t talk about the background things - my tools - that make it possible for my superpowers to shine even brighter.
You’d be surprised to know that I do get asked - quite often about the techniques I use in my practice. And. well folx, dun dun dun, it’s time to shed some light on one of my go-to tools, AEDP.
AEDP stands for Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy. And just in case your head is spinning because AEDP sounds like a mouthful, I promise I’ll make this easy to read!
And don’t worry, when I was first introduced to AEDP years ago, I was super intimidated.
But the more I learned and familiarized myself with AEDP techniques, the more I fell in love with it.
And I’m happy to be able to share my knowledge and love for AEDP with you.
Before we dive into AEDP…
I believe in giving credit where credit is due… This 2-series article on AEDP is made possible by a heartfelt collaboration between myself aka The Spunky Counsellor and Vivien Allen of Charisma Creative, a rad Vancouver based content strategist and copywriter.
Now before you get too worried, I’m not going to be writing you my dense, academic final paper on why AEDP techniques are superior or not, but I will take you on an adventure to understand how using AEDP techniques in my sessions go a long way to helping my clients get to the heart of their issues by taking a look at the difficult emotions they may be experiencing and how AEDP can assist them moving forward.
First thing first, what the heck is AEDP?
An experienced technician knows which tools to use to get the job done right. The same goes for me, your spunky licensed youth and queer counsellor. During my training, I was exposed to multiple modalities (styles of therapy).
And let me tell you, in the world of clinical therapy, there are tons of different modalities that we learn! And in our training, counselling graduates are usually exposed to different perspectives like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy (PT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), to name a few.
AEDP is one of the tools of choice available at our disposal.
Now, you might be left wondering what made AEDP so appealing that I decided to adopt AEDP as my go-to instrument of choice.
If you’re curious, then you’re in for a bit of a treat here as I spill the beans on the tenet of AEDP
AEDP at glance: The magic potion that transforms your confusion into confidence
First things first - I don’t expect you to remember what AEDP stands for - and truthfully, I only know AEDP well because I spent years learning about it.
AEDP is a form of talk therapy that invites you to name, understand and work through difficult emotions.
AEDP gives you the space to step into your authentic self by getting you familiar with a wider range of emotions.
Does that sound like a lot of wordy-words? It’s actually not very different from what counselling is on the whole, just a more specialized technique.
AEDP sauce
The core of any counseling modality is:
A way to view the world
A perspective on human nature
A theory on how any mental health related issues come about
A proposed remedy to work out the kinks
A suggested picture of how healthy and thriving life is can possibly look like
AEDP is no exception to this, so let me peel off one layer at a time.
4 building blocks every AEDP therapist subscribes to:
AEDP techniques have four main principles. It’s kind of like a table with four legs - each leg (or principle) is necessary to support the whole and that’s what we AEDP therapists swear by:
(1) your AEDP counsellor’s belief in your inherent ability to heal and reclaim your authentic self. It might sound like a tall order, but it’s actually what I train for, so I got you covered,
(2) your AEDP therapist makes sure that you feel seen and heard. It can be difficult to experience healing if you are feeling alienated and alone. In session, my main priority is you. As your AEDP youth counsellor in Vancouver, I am here to listen and guide you down the road of healing. So you won’t be alone.
(3) your AEDP counsellor also wants to give you the space to work through your defenses to set the stage for change - which, again, is the whole point of our session, right?
(4) all techniques aside, as your AEDP therapist in action, I want to provide you the space to go through the motions and be your container to experience new, positive emotions so you can confidently move through your healing journey.
And this is something that applies to me too!
AEDP therapist in action: Yo! Our relationship matters a tonne!!!
Here’s the sitch: When it comes to AEDP, the general view is that the people we have in our corner can either help you flourish or stunt your growth…
[I wrote another piece sharing about the importance of keeping nurturing relationships in your corner, read it here]
Well, it all starts with family of origin (haha, always!). We learn about ourselves and the world around us from our parents.
From an AEDP standpoint, if your parents were there for you when you had a hard time, you will develop a good sense of self. However, if you were left to your own devices, chances are you will question yourself and the world around you.
This becomes a breeding ground for anything mental health related or how us clinical people call it: psychopathology.
When we experience some challenges, our natural inclination is to reach out for help.
Though if people around us either ignore, make fun of, or punish our request for help, then at some point we will develop a shell to protect ourselves.
AEDP calls that shell as our defense mechanism.
Simply put, it’s a way for us to shield ourselves from the harsh things the world throws at us.
AEDP does not see this shield as absolutely good or bad.
It sees this shield as serving a purpose: protection.
We all have a shield. We need it to go about life.
Though as with anything in life, when taken in excess, AEDP also thinks it can bite you in the butt.
Yikes.
AEDP therapist in action: Which Inside Out character you are
AEDP believes that we have what is called core emotions, namely fear, anger, joy, sadness, disgust, excitement, and sexual excitement. Coincidentally, these (barring the sexual excitement) play a featuring role in Disney’s Inside Out.
But it’s true. We all have access to all seven of them.
Though the thing is that it is not always safe to show our core emotions to anyone at any given time. Say, a friend is sharing some very inconvenient truth about your friendship. Instead of tuning in to the core emotions of fear, anger, or sadness (whichever one pops up), you might find it easier to brush it off in the moment and carry on with the merry-go-round of life.
The thing about core emotions from an AEDP standpoint is that the emotions we feel and push down or cast aside stay stuck in our bodies. Kind of like dog-earing pages in the book, you might unfold them eventually, but the crease is always there. Likewise, those unreleased, pent up emotions stay with you.
From an AEDP standpoint, emotions are a source of information.
The thing is, each core emotion is tied to or associated with a certain release or drive.
Like for example, hearing about your partner getting promoted into senior management positions after working their butt off. Obviously, you are going to be filled with so much joy on their behalf and it would not be too surprising to find you screaming and dancing with your fists in the air.
However, you wouldn’t be exhibiting the same behaviour if your house were robbed! Because the core feelings you are experiencing will likely be fear and anger.
Make sense?
AEDP therapist in action: I see you, even if you want to hide
You see, everyone has different cues - things they do that tell a deeper story they might not realize. Like a dismissive roll of their eyes, rambling conversations, changing the subject … all these things are defense mechanisms that show me hints of what you might be struggling with.
You probably don’t even realize you’re doing them. But in session, I look for these cues. I tune in to your frequency, get on your level, and work with you to unpack what you’re feeling in the moment.
AEDP: The secret magic that makes youth therapy works wonder
If you’re reading up to this point and are left thinking, “All sounds good, though in what ways are AEDP connected to your work with youth?”
Considering my jam in working on the topic of personal identity and self exploration, I am all about making an impact in people’s lives, especially those that are transformative and long-lasting.
Glad to report that AEDP is the secret ingredient that gives a touch of va-va-voom for my youth counselling and queer counselling.
Unlock your inner superhero with AEDP: Discover the best version of yourself
When it comes to self-discovery, understanding how to process your emotions and experiences can lead you to healing and personal growth.
But the thing is, as easy as that sounds, it’s easier said than done.
AEDP believes that your emotions play a big role in shaping your life, and more often than not, some folks want to hog one (pleasant or good) emotion at the expense of not experiencing other (unpleasant or negative) emotions.
The thing is, there are some big emotions that you carry, emotions like anger, shame, sadness, despair… all these really big feelings that pile up on each other and make it hard to see the silver lining or joy in your day to day moments.
This is why I like Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) as a way to help my clients face those hard feelings, understand why they may feel this way and learn to not only accept their core emotions, but be able to use them as moments for growth and clarity.
AEDP is one of the ways that I work with my clients.
AEDP is really helpful when…
I find it really helpful in situations where someone is really struggling and stuck. Because AEDP is a two-way street that relies heavily on the connection between me and my client, and their willingness to open up and explore things that might be uncomfortable.
I don’t want to talk about my emotions, but an AEDP youth counsellor in Vancouver makes sense. What now?
Don’t worry. As an AEDP counsellor, I don’t automatically funnel all my clients into AEDP. That sounds like a one-size fits all practice and I’m so far removed from that mentality. Instead, I work with my clients by listening and determining the best course of action.
And like I’ve said so many times before, we take our sessions at your pace. If you know you have something to work through, and you’re sitting in for your session with me (or we’re doing a walk and talk), we will get there.
I’m not going to dive into the hard questions on the first day. I might not even do that on the second day. Because just like I said earlier, we all have defense mechanisms - shields that keep us safe. And if you don’t feel like you can trust me, then you won’t lower that shield.
Our sessions will work to build that trust, and once it’s there
we can get to talking about your emotions and unpacking the things you are struggling with.
So what do you do?
Well, I suggest you read the second part of this article series to get a little more comfortable with the idea of AEDP and working with me.
Or simply reach out by filling in my contact form. If you aren’t sure if AEDP is for you - we can chat ahead of time and see if we fit.
Hello, I’m Nita Agustin
Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC
My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity.
Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves.
In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships.
I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park.
I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland.
Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self!
Throughout this pandemic, I witnessed telehealth virtual sessions become more of a norm, and it has been super transformative seeing clients can access mental health services from the comfort of their home.
There are lots of different stereotypes out there, and society tells us who we are supposed to be and what we are supposed to do in the world. It can feel very overwhelming and confusing to compare our personal experience against those ideas. The thing is, you no longer have to be defined by what society tells you. It is your life to live, and you get to decide who get a say about your life.
