Safety
Also known as emotional safety, physical safety, protection, refuge, security
The experience of being free from threat or harm. A baseline sense that one's physical and emotional integrity is not in danger.
When met or unmet
When met
- Feeling secure enough to relax
- Trusting your environment
- Being able to let your guard down
When unmet
- Hypervigilance and scanning for threats
- Difficulty relaxing
- Persistent anxiety about what might happen
Common expressions
I don't feel safe here I need to know everything will be okay I can't relax
Strategies
- Creating physical environments that feel secure
- Establishing clear boundaries in relationships
- Building financial stability
- Developing a support network you can rely on
Recognition questions
- → Do I feel physically safe in my environment?
- → Am I on guard or hypervigilant?
- → Can I let down my defences with the people around me?
Somatic markers
When met
- Muscles releasing tension
- Breath slowing and deepening
- Shoulders dropping away from ears
- The nervous system settling into calm
When unmet
- Tension throughout the body
- Shallow, rapid breathing
- Eyes scanning for danger
- A sense of bracing for impact
Shadow side
- Avoidance of healthy risk that prevents growth
- Rigidity and inability to adapt to change
- Controlling behaviour toward others in pursuit of safety
Cultural considerations
Safety needs are universal but threats vary by context. Economic safety, physical safety, and social safety may be emphasised differently across cultures and circumstances.
Related needs
Often confused with
Trust
Safety is about protection from harm; trust is about reliance and confidence in others or oneself.