Resilience, not resistance: An overview of AEDPs stance on psychopathology

Many therapeutic modalities view resistance as an obstacle to progress, often interpreting it as a sign of psychopathology. I’ve always felt uneasy with this perspective. It wasn’t until I discovered AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) that I found a therapeutic approach that not only aligns with my values as a clinician but is also grounded in neuroscientific and developmental research. In AEDP, resistance is viewed not as a problem to be fixed, but as a natural manifestation of the survival strategies clients have developed to cope with overwhelming emotional experiences. When clinicians approach clients as 'problems' to be solved, rather than individuals in need of understanding, the therapeutic process can become dehumanized, ultimately hindering healing.

Humans possess an inherent ability to "self-right," transform, grow, and heal. Additionally, we have an intuitive drive to adapt and survive. These two drives—the urge to survive and the desire to thrive—are not mutually exclusive, but they can be in tension with one another.

From an AEDP perspective, our natural capacity for self-righting becomes restricted when individuals face adversity alone. When forced to confront overwhelming emotional experiences without the necessary support to process and contain the pain, humans are wired to adapt in ways that ensure emotional and physical safety. This often leads to the development of defenses and survival mechanisms. These very strategies, which once helped us cope with suffering, can later impede our transformational potential when the perceived threat has dissipated.

Examples of Adaptations That Once Served a Purpose

• Hypervigilance: People in high-risk professions—such as emergency responders, police officers, and military personnel—often develop hypervigilance as a means of staying alert to potential threats. 

• Dissociation: In the aftermath of trauma, individuals may dissociate as a way of distancing themselves from overwhelming emotions. Viewing the traumatic event from a detached perspective ("That’s not me") can allow a person to function in daily life, while avoiding the painful emotions tied to the trauma. 

• Avoidance: People raised by emotionally unavailable parents may adopt avoidance as a strategy to cope with feelings that were either dismissed or ignored in childhood. Keeping others at a distance, avoiding emotionally charged situations, and becoming self-sufficient may have been survival strategies. 

How These Adaptations Become Harmful

• Hypervigilance: Over time, hypervigilance can become a constant preoccupation with danger, making it difficult to be present and enjoy the moment. This lack of presence can impair relationships with others and oneself. Chronic arousal also disrupts sleep, leads to excessive worry and anxiety, and can cause mental and physical exhaustion. The constant scanning for threats may also lead to overreactions to minor stimuli. Long-term, the body’s repeated activation of the "fight or flight" response can result in health issues, such as cardiovascular problems.

• Dissociation: While dissociation protects individuals from painful emotions, it can also block positive experiences such as joy, love, and pride. Over time, dissociation can create a detachment from reality, impairing memory, concentration, and decision-making. It can also lead to emotional flooding when suppressed feelings break through, triggering panic attacks or emotional outbursts. Ultimately, dissociation can lead to a fragmented sense of self, making it difficult to understand one's values, desires, or life goals.

• Avoidance: Like dissociation, avoidance can prevent individuals from engaging with both the painful and the rewarding aspects of life. Avoidant individuals may miss out on meaningful experiences, relationships, and opportunities for growth. Avoiding distressing emotions limits the development of effective coping skills, which can lead to low distress tolerance. When faced with inevitable stress, this fear and avoidance can become paralyzing. Additionally, chronic emotional suppression can manifest physically as tension and long-term health problems. Humans are inherently social, and isolation can contribute to emotional dysregulation and loneliness.

Other Common Adaptations That Can Limit Growth

• Perfectionism

• People-pleasing

• Cognitive distortions (e.g., black-and-white thinking, catastrophizing)

• Controlling behaviors

• Learned helplessness

• Anger and rage

• Substance abuse

• Self-harm

Even conditions traditionally viewed as pathological can be seen as survival mechanisms in response to real or perceived emotional or physical danger. Examples include:

• Borderline Personality Disorder

• Eating disorders

• Obsessive compulsive disorders 

• Dissociative identity disorder 

• Anxiety disorders 

These 'problems,' when explored deeply with a client, can often be reframed as 'solutions'—adaptations made in response to a lack of support or resources at a time when they were needed most. In my work with clients, I help them explore their symptoms within the context of their past experiences, recognizing how these adaptations may have served them once, while also acknowledging how they may no longer be helpful in the present.

Reframing “Pathology” as Survival

In my own experience, reframing what has traditionally been viewed as "pathology" to a “survival” response can have a profoundly positive impact on clients. When clients are told that their struggles or "symptoms" are the result of psychological abnormalities (e.g., a diagnostic label, maladaptive thinking patterns, or insecure attachment), they often internalize shame, which obstructs healing.

The therapeutic process in an AEDP model requires creating a safe space that minimizes the need for previously vital defenses. One of the first steps in my practice is helping clients unlearn the belief that "something is wrong with me" and instead embrace the idea that "something is right with me." This shift in perspective allows clients to acknowledge that their adaptations were survival strategies in response to overwhelming experiences. This strength-focused approach dissolves shame and unlocks their hidden potential for transformation.

What I find particularly powerful about AEDP is its view of resistance not as a problem, but as a solution. Resistance is a sign of resilience in the face of adversity, not an indication of weakness or personal deficit. It reflects our inherent capacity to heal and is an attempt to seek safety, not a refusal to "cooperate." 

I am constantly inspired by my clients and the incredible ways they’ve learned to protect themselves. My deepest hope is that through our work together, and by building a secure, trusting bond, they come to feel safe enough to let go of the self-protections that no longer serve their healing. I believe that, together, our shared strength will be enough to lift any burden that feels too heavy to carry alone.