AEDP Therapy Melbourne
Deeper Therapy with Dr Damon Mitchell
Process and work through underlying patterns, trauma, and defences to gain a deeper sense of healing and well-being.
AEDP Melbourne | Deeper Therapy with Dr Mitchell
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) is a transformative, healing-focused psychodynamic therapy that helps you access deep emotional change and growth. If you are seeking AEDP therapy in Melbourne, you’re in the right place to explore this powerful approach designed to foster emotional healing, secure connection, and lasting transformation.
What is Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)?
Developed by Dr Diana Fosha, AEDP is a trauma-informed, experiential psychotherapy model focused on transformation and healing rather than just symptom management or diagnosis. Traditional therapies often concentrate on pathology and disorders, but AEDP centres on the natural human capacity to heal and grow when the right therapeutic conditions are met. AEDP explores the micro-processes of change that occur within therapy sessions, emphasizing the relational and emotional experience between therapist and client. It harnesses the brain’s inherent “transformance” — an inner drive towards health, coherence, vitality, and connection.
Developmental Perspectives in AEDP
AEDP understands distress and defenses as adaptations developed early in life, often due to unmet emotional needs, neglect, or trauma. This approach recognizes common patterns of attachment (avoidant, anxious, disorganized) and helps you gently unravel these to build a more secure sense of self.
A deeper, more meaningful approach to therapy
The AEDP Model: From Distress to Healing
People often come to therapy stuck in emotional distress, defensive patterns, and painful experiences. AEDP maps this journey through a Four State Model of Transformation:
- State 1 – Distress and Defences: This includes anxiety, shame, guilt, emotional inhibition, and other protective patterns that block deeper feelings.
- State 2 – Accessing Core Adaptive Affects: Here, clients begin to experience authentic emotions such as sadness, anger, or fear in a safe way. This process opens the door to relief and hope.
- State 3 – Transformational Affects: Emotional breakthroughs lead to feelings of mastery, pride, mourning, healing, and gratitude.
- State 4 – Core State: A profound sense of wisdom, clarity, compassion, and authenticity — often described as an enlightened or core self state.
Why Choose AEDP?
AEDP is especially effective for people who want deeper emotional healing beyond surface-level symptom relief. It is ideal for those struggling with:
Therapy that honours your emotional depth
How AEDP Works
AEDP therapy is grounded in attachment-informed, experiential work. It focuses on:
What to Expect in Therapy
Therapy involves moment-to-moment tracking of your emotional experience, with a focus on both verbal and non-verbal signals. You’ll be supported in taking emotional risks safely, learning to tolerate and work through painful feelings, and embracing your true self. The therapist acts as a secure base, providing a compassionate, engaged presence to help regulate your nervous system and facilitate healing.
AEDP: Transformational Healing and Growth
By moving through the stages of AEDP, you may experience powerful shifts such as:
Why Work with Dr Damon Mitchell for AEDP in Melbourne?
With extensive training and experience in AEDP and psychodynamic therapies, I offer a safe, supportive environment where your healing journey is honoured. Based in Carlton, Melbourne, I provide both in-person and online sessions tailored to your unique needs.
Book an AEDP Therapy Session in Melbourne
If you’re ready to explore deeper emotional healing through AEDP, please reach out today. Together, we can work towards unlocking your natural capacity for transformation, connection, and well-being.
📍 In-person in Carlton (Melbourne) or via telehealth across Australia
🗓️ Book a confidential session or send a message to get started
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