[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]Psychological safety is a natural and essential need for mental health. Without it, relationships of any type remain superficial. In such interactions, the opportunity for emotional development is limited.

Nowadays, in a social media era, facades tend to be more appreciated than authenticity. Therefore, psychological safety in relationships becomes more difficult to foster. An appearance-based relationship prevents the formation of trust and intimacy.

In this article, you can read more about the meaning of psychological safety, why it is essential to building any healthy connection, and how you can cultivate it in all your relationships.

 

What is psychological safety?

Psychological safety can be described as the freedom to self-express without anticipating danger. On an emotional level, danger can mean criticism, conflict, embarrassment, humiliation, and so on.

Psychological safety allows us to be completely relaxed in a relationship. We can display our emotions and ideas naturally, without fear of being rejected. Even if the other person sees our less attractive parts, we trust they will continue being around.

The topic of psychological safety is most common in intimate, close relationships. However, it is also essential for the functioning of all relationships.

Relationships in which psychological safety is vital

Even if some of our relationships are less deep than others, this does not exclude the need for a good level of psychological safety.

Here are the types of psychological safety you can experience in your relationships:

 

Psychological safety in romantic relationships

In romantic relationships, psychological safety helps build and maintain intimacy, trust, and emotional comfort. At times, we need to feel safe to allow ourselves to be vulnerable with another person and show up as we are.

 

Psychological safety at work

Many times, we spend more time at work than in other contexts. Therefore, psychological safety at work is essential for maintaining motivation, reducing stress, and creating a work-life balance.

 

Psychological safety in the family context

Family relationships can be among the most challenging, whether we’re talking about the family of origin or the relationship with our children. The development of psychological safety improves communication, reduces the frequency of conflicts, and increases the feeling of belonging.

Is psychological safety the key to a successful relationship?

An emotionally secure relationship is often a lasting one. When you feel emotionally safe, it is easier to be vulnerable. And vulnerability is what strengthens intimacy and connection.

For example, in a couple, psychological safety facilitates communication and increases closeness between partners. A friendship or family bond gives the people involved the confidence that they are not alone.

At work, psychological safety allows each team member to feel that they have a voice and they can express themselves naturally and honestly without the possibility of being excluded.

5 signs that psychological security is missing from your relationship.

Think about one of the relationships that are important to you and see if you identify yourself in the description below:

  • You feel the need to hide some emotions/opinions;
  • You do not have total trust in the other / group;
  • You think anxiously about the future of the relationship;
  • You are afraid to make big changes in the relationship (e.g. moving in together);
  • You feel that you do not know the other;

In relationships that lack psychological safety, it becomes more likely for us to have communication difficulties, jealousy, and privacy problems.

 

How do you cultivate psychological security in relationships?

Psychological safety is, first and foremost, about one’s ability to be honest with oneself. Here’s how to become more authentic with yourself and others:

Get to know yourself

In order to create psychologically safe relationships, it is important to reflect on your biases, blockages, and reactions. When you are aware that you can improve some of your traits, you develop the capacity to become even more understanding of others.

You can take some time every day to exercise authenticity with yourself. Write honestly about your thoughts, reactions, concerns, or feedback you have received. You can choose to speak loudly, write down, or simply think about them. After a while, look at the data and see the tendencies. Furthermore, you can outline some aspects you feel you can change in yourself.

Once identified, decide how you are going to approach them. The issues can be easily and effectively addressed in psychotherapy or personal development programs.

Communicate openly and clearly

Communication is the foundation of a healthy relationship. However, truncated or image-based communication will affect psychological safety.

To be able to communicate openly about yourself and your expectations, it is important to know yourself well enough already and to be connected to yourself. 

However, even if you feel that you are not yet authentic with yourself and others, you can do some communication exercises.

For example, you can become aware of the way you express yourself, and make a list of verbal tics. The sentences you repeat unconsciously can tell you something about yourself, your core beliefs, and how others perceive you.

Once you have a list of these verbal tics, try to replace or reduce them in speech as much as possible. Often, the psychological state changes depending on the words we use.

Experience a psychologically secure relationship

The best way to have relationships based on psychological safety is to experience such a relationship yourself. Adults who felt safe growing up, in their family of origin tend to create more secure relationships in adulthood.

How can you experience a secure relationship, however, outside of family and childhood? 

Call a psychotherapist or counselor. They are specialists trained precisely to provide a safe environment for the ones they help. The process of psychotherapy is based on building a secure relationship. 

Psychotherapy and counseling work when a strong and authentic relationship is created between the person and the specialist. This relationship will allow you to replicate authenticity and psychological security in other areas of your life. Only by having a space without prejudices and conditioning can you develop personally.

Prioritize connection moments

To feel psychologically safe, we need to feel connected. To build secure relationships, be they a couple or a friendship, it is important to give yourself time to create the bond.

The psychological connection goes hand in hand for sure. A person whom we feel close to, whom we trust, and whom we respect can more easily give us a sense of security.

Take special time to connect with a good friend, spouse, or office colleague. You can go out together or play an interesting game, just to feel good. No goals about utility or personal gain.

 

Conclusion

Establishing psychologically secure relationships, instead of superficial ones, is about our inner security. Unfortunately, not many have been able to experience such relationships in their families of origin or adult life.

It is, however, possible to cultivate psychological safety in relationships, working with your past and your tendencies. A psychotherapy process will help you, in the long run, to change both the way you approach relationships and your perception of yourself.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]