Feeling Lost in Life? How EMDR Can Help You Rediscover Yourself at Any Age
Feeling lost is something many people experience, regardless of age. In a society where expectations are high, it’s easy to feel like you’ve been playing a role your whole life—one that isn’t truly your own. For years, many of us mold ourselves into what others want us to be, often not being given the opportunity to check in with ourselves along the way. If you’ve spent a significant portion of your life conforming to the expectations of others, it’s easy to find yourself questioning your identity and feeling disconnected from who you really are. But what happens when you realize you don’t know who you are anymore? You might feel confused, disconnected, and unsure of your identity. There is hope. EMDR therapy can be a powerful tool for reclaiming your true self at any stage in life.
The People-Pleasing Trap
People-pleasing isn’t something that only happens in youth—it can continue throughout life. Many of us are conditioned early on to prioritize others’ needs over our own, whether it’s to gain approval from parents, teachers, colleagues, friends, or society. We suppress our desires, needs, and emotions to fit the mold of what others expect from us.
This behavior can show up in various ways, from saying “yes” when we really want to say “no” to overcommitting, hiding our true feelings, or constantly trying to meet the expectations of the people around us. Over time, this pattern can leave us feeling drained, disconnected, and uncertain about who we truly are.
Whether you’re in your 40s or 50s, or younger, the effects of people-pleasing can catch up with you. You might wake up one day and realize that you’ve spent so much time trying to meet others' needs that you don’t even know what your needs are. The feeling of being lost, unsure of your identity, or disconnected from your true self is not uncommon, and it can happen at any stage in life.
The Identity Crisis at Any Age
An identity crisis doesn’t have an expiration date—it can happen at any time in life. Whether you're in your 20s still trying to find your way or in your 40s reevaluating your choices, it’s natural to question your identity at different points in your journey.
Erik Erikson, a prominent developmental psychologist, recognized that identity development is a key part of human growth, spanning across different stages of life. One of his most famous stages, "Identity vs. Role Confusion," occurs during adolescence but can resurface at any time when a person struggles with questions of who they really are. According to Erikson, during this stage, individuals seek to understand themselves and their place in the world. If this process is interrupted or influenced by outside pressures—such as people-pleasing or living up to others' expectations—confusion can set in. This leads to a distorted sense of self that can extend into adulthood.
For people who have spent years molding themselves into the roles others have assigned to them—whether it’s the dependable friend, the dutiful employee, or the caring partner—there can come a time when they realize that they have never fully developed their own identity. This realization can be unsettling and even feel like an existential crisis. The task of rediscovering who you are can seem overwhelming, especially when the self you’ve been living for years no longer feels like your own.
The good news is that it's never too late to begin the journey of self-discovery and to make meaningful changes. No matter how old you are, there are ways to reconnect with yourself and move forward in a way that aligns with your true values and desires. One powerful tool to help with this process is EMDR therapy.
How EMDR Can Help
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a well-established therapeutic technique that helps individuals process traumatic memories and deeply ingrained emotional pain. While EMDR is often associated with treating PTSD, it can also be highly effective for issues like anxiety, self-doubt, and identity confusion—experiences that are common among those who have lived under others' expectations and can, in themselves, be trauma responses.
Here’s how EMDR can support you in rediscovering your authentic self, regardless of your age:
Reprocessing Unresolved Emotions: People-pleasers often carry unresolved emotions from past experiences—whether it’s from childhood, toxic relationships, or difficult life events—that shape how they view themselves. These emotions can create barriers to self-knowledge and self-acceptance. EMDR helps reprocess these emotions by stimulating both sides of the brain, allowing you to process and release painful memories, helping you reconnect with a healthier, more self-affirming version of yourself.
Releasing Negative Beliefs: Years of people-pleasing often lead to deeply ingrained negative beliefs, such as “I am only valuable if I make others happy” or “I must put others first to be loved.” These limiting beliefs can hinder your ability to embrace your true identity. EMDR helps you identify these beliefs and work through them, replacing them with healthier, more empowering thoughts—such as “I am enough as I am” and “It’s okay to prioritize my own needs and desires.”
Cultivating Self-Awareness: One of the most important aspects of rediscovering who you are is increasing your self-awareness. EMDR therapy helps you process emotions and memories, which can lead to a deeper understanding of your true needs, values, and desires. This newfound clarity is crucial for making decisions that align with your authentic self, instead of simply following the expectations of others.
Healing from Trauma: Whether the trauma is from childhood, past relationships, or other life experiences, EMDR can help heal the emotional wounds that have shaped your sense of self. By reprocessing these traumatic experiences, you can free yourself from the emotional weight of the past and begin living in a way that is more aligned with who you truly are, not who you’ve been forced to become to survive.
Creating New, Healthier Patterns: As you reprocess past beliefs and traumas, EMDR helps you create new ways of thinking and responding. This allows you to break free from old patterns of people-pleasing and start living in a way that reflects your true desires and values. With this clarity and healing, you can begin to make decisions that feel authentic, even if it’s a shift from the way you’ve lived in the past.
Taking the First Step Toward Self-Discovery
It’s easy to feel lost at any age, especially if you’ve spent much of your life people-pleasing or living for others. But the truth is, it’s never too late to reconnect with yourself and start living in alignment with your true identity. Because at the end of the day, whose peace are you really protecting by denying or suppressing your own wants and needs? Whether you’re in your 20s, 40s, or beyond, the process of rediscovering who you are is a journey worth taking.
If you’re feeling lost or disconnected from your true self, EMDR therapy can offer the support you need to heal, break free from past patterns, and embrace the person you were always meant to be. Consider reaching out to a licensed EMDR therapist and take the first step toward living a life that is true to who you really are.
You don't have to keep playing a role that isn't yours. Your true self is waiting to be rediscovered—and it's never too late to begin that journey.
If you're ready to explore how EMDR therapy can help you manage triggers and build healthier communication patterns, I’d be honored to support you as an EMDR therapist in Burnaby, BC.
*This blog post was developed with the assistance of AI, which helped organize and enhance the content. The final content has been reviewed and refined to ensure it aligns with our values and to ensure it provides valuable insights to our readers.
Dr. Rosemary Rukavina is a licensed psychologist based in Burnaby, BC, specializing in EMDR and Couples therapy. She helps individuals work through trauma, anxiety, burnout, relationship issues, and other mental health concerns using evidence-based techniques. Dr. Rukavina offers a compassionate and grounded approach to support clients on their journey toward healing and growth. Learn more.
