What an EMDR Session Looks Like for Older Adults

Many older adults are curious about EMDR therapy but unsure what to expect. At Off the Beaten Path, we often hear concerns about whether therapy will feel intrusive, emotionally overwhelming, or require sharing personal details that have long been kept private.

EMDR therapy is designed to be respectful, flexible, and grounded in your strengths, especially for adults later in life.

EMDR Therapy for Older Adults: A Slower, Respectful Pace

EMDR therapy is never rushed. Sessions are paced carefully, with frequent check-ins and opportunities to pause or adjust. This slower, intentional approach supports emotional safety and honours your comfort, physical needs, and personal boundaries.

At Off the Beaten Path, therapy is always collaborative. You remain in control of the pace and focus of each session.

You Don’t Have to Share Everything to Heal

Many people were raised with strong messages about privacy, self-reliance, and “being strong.” For some, this meant learning to manage difficult experiences quietly or on their own.

EMDR therapy respects those values. You are not required to tell your whole story or describe painful memories in detail. Often, you simply identify a memory or experience that still feels emotionally charged, and the processing happens internally.

This makes EMDR especially well-suited for those who value discretion and personal dignity.

Resourcing in EMDR: Strengthening What You Already Carry

Before working with difficult memories, EMDR therapy focuses on resourcing, identifying and strengthening the inner supports you’ve developed over a lifetime.

These resources may include:

• Life experiences that demonstrate resilience or perseverance

• Values such as responsibility, commitment, or compassion

• Supportive relationships, faith, or community connections

• Memories of safety, competence, or meaningful accomplishment

Using bilateral stimulation, these positive experiences are intentionally reinforced. This helps strengthen adaptive beliefs you already hold, such as “I’ve handled hard things before,” “I can get through this,” or “I have inner strength.”

For many older adults, this part of EMDR feels affirming rather than corrective. Therapy builds on what is already there.

Bilateral Stimulation in EMDR: Gentle and Adapted

Bilateral stimulation is a core part of EMDR and may include:

• Slow eye movements

• Gentle alternating taps

• Alternating tones through headphones

The method and pace are always adjusted for comfort, including accommodations for vision, hearing, or mobility needs. Nothing is done without your consent or understanding.

Staying Grounded and in Control During EMDR Sessions

EMDR is not hypnosis. You remain fully aware and in control at all times. You can stop, pause, or change direction whenever needed.

Sessions are designed to stay within a manageable emotional range, supporting stability rather than overwhelm.

EMDR for Long-Standing and Recent Memories

Older adults often bring experiences from many stages of life, early family experiences, career years, caregiving roles, or more recent health events and losses.

EMDR works effectively with both long-standing and recent memories. The goal is not to erase the past, but to reduce the emotional intensity so these experiences no longer intrude on daily life.

Ending EMDR Sessions Feeling Settled and Supported

Each EMDR session ends with grounding and stabilization. Before you leave, your therapist ensures you feel calm, oriented, and supported.

Many clients describe feeling tired yet lighter, as if something has shifted or softened.

Healing at Any Age at Off the Beaten Path

At Off the Beaten Path, we believe therapy does not require you to abandon values like strength, privacy, or independence. EMDR therapy works with those values, not against them.

Healing builds on the wisdom, resilience, and adaptive beliefs you’ve developed over a lifetime. There is no age limit on finding greater peace and ease.

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At Off the Beaten Path Psychology, we provide counselling and therapy services to individuals, couples, and families in Airdrie, Calgary, and Cochrane, Alberta. Our team supports anxiety, burnout, relationship challenges, and trauma recovery. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your mental health journey.