"Everyone Could Say What Was Inside": emotional expression and interpersonal connection following emotion-focused awareness training

Population aging has increased the need for interventions that support psychological wellbeing and emotional adaptation in later life. Although emotion-focused approaches have demonstrated promising outcomes, little is known about how older adults experience emotion-focused psychoeducational programs implemented within lifelong learning environments. This study explored older adults' experiences of participating in Emotion-Focused Awareness Training (EFAT), a group-based psychoeducational program integrating emotion-focused principles with EMDR-informed resourcing and stabilization techniques, delivered within a University of the Third Age. A qualitative descriptive design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 56 older adults participating in a University of the Third Age lifelong learning program approximately 6weeks after completion of EFAT. Interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants described joining the program in search of emotional support, social connection, and opportunities for personal growth. They experienced EFAT as facilitating emotional awareness, emotional expression, psychological relief, stronger interpersonal relationships, and the integration of emotion-regulation strategies into everyday life, while also recognizing the value of a psychologically safe group environment for emotional learning. At the same time, some participants expressed a desire for greater individualized support, highlighting the inherent balance between shared learning and individual psychological needs within group-based psychoeducation. Overall, participants perceived EFAT as more than an educational program, describing it as an integrated psychosocial experience that supported emotional learning, interpersonal connectedness, and personal growth. These findings suggest that emotion-focused psychoeducational programs implemented within lifelong learning environments may represent a promising community-based approach to supporting emotional wellbeing, psychological adaptation, and healthy aging.