Welcome to 3-2-1 Tuesdays with Better Wellness Naturally- The Healing Power of Safe Spaces
- Admin
- Aug 5
- 4 min read
Thank you for joining us for 3-2-1 Tuesdays!
Quick bits of therapeutic info and learning, ideas, concepts, and quotes.
Brought to you by Better Wellness Naturally
3: Keys
2: Concepts
1: Quick Article
“A safe space is one where you are free to be your true self without fear of judgment or harm—this freedom is the soil in which healing grows.”— Brene Brown
3 Keys
Healing Happens in Connection: Healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens when we are met with presence, understanding, and compassion. Safe spaces allow us to soften, to release the armor we've built to protect our pain, and to feel truly witnessed. When someone listens without trying to fix us, when we are held without judgment, we start to believe we are worthy of healing. These moments of shared humanity remind us we are not alone in our struggle—and that is where transformation begins.
Safety Fuels Growth: True growth—emotional, spiritual, and psychological—requires a foundation of safety. When our nervous system senses that we are safe, our brain can shift out of survival mode. We become more open to vulnerability, self-reflection, creativity, and authentic connection. In safe environments, we’re not spending energy defending ourselves—we’re free to explore who we are and who we’re becoming. This is why safe spaces are not luxuries—they are prerequisites for meaningful change.
You Deserve to Fully Be: A safe space isn’t just about having support—it’s about having the freedom to exist without censoring who you are. It’s the kind of space where you don’t have to shrink, edit, or apologize for your emotions. Where your presence is enough, even in silence. You deserve to be in places where your full humanity is not just tolerated but embraced. Whether you're laughing, grieving, speaking up, or simply resting, you deserve to feel like you belong exactly as you are.
A Couple of Concepts
Psychological Safety: What It Is & Why It Matters: Coined by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, psychological safety refers to an environment where individuals feel safe to express themselves without fear of embarrassment, punishment, or rejection. While often applied in workplace studies, it’s also deeply relevant in healing spaces. Research shows that psychological safety is linked to improved resilience, emotional regulation, and mental health outcomes.
Safe environments calm the amygdala, the brain’s fear center, allowing the prefrontal cortex (responsible for decision-making and empathy) to remain active. This is vital in trauma recovery and emotional processing.
Co-regulation: The Healing Power of Shared Presence: Co-regulation is the process by which our nervous systems sync with others. When someone holds space for us—calm, grounded, and present—it helps our body downshift from fight-or-flight into rest-and-digest mode. Over time, consistent co-regulation can reshape our ability to self-soothe and feel safe in our own bodies.
This is why group therapy, trauma-informed yoga classes, and supportive retreats are often so effective—they engage our neurobiology through relationship and rhythmic presence.
A Quick Overview:
We often hear the phrase “safe space” when talking about healing—but what does it really mean? More than just a peaceful environment, a safe space is any setting where your mind and body can relax into being. It tells your nervous system, “You’re okay now. You don’t have to be on guard.”
According to Polyvagal Theory by Dr. Stephen Porges, our nervous system constantly scans for danger or safety. When we feel threatened—even emotionally—our bodies shift into survival mode. But when we feel safe, the part of the nervous system that supports calm, connection, and healing activates. That’s when real transformation can begin.
A safe space isn't just about physical comfort. It’s created by people, energy, and intention. It means being with others who offer warmth, non-judgment, and presence. In that kind of space, our nervous system can settle, and emotions can flow more freely. This is called co-regulation—when another person’s calm presence helps soothe our stress response. Science shows that repeated experiences of co-regulation can actually rewire the brain to feel safer more often.
That’s why supportive communities, therapy, and healing retreats are so powerful—they create space not just to talk about healing, but to actually feel it. Take the Storms of Change Healing Retreat at the Imiloa Institute, Costa Rica (last July 12–17, 2025), which was designed with this very intention: to offer a safe, nurturing environment for mind, body, and soul. Surrounded by nature and guided by trauma-informed practices, it’s a space where your healing doesn’t just feel possible—it feels supported.
You don’t need to have it all together to begin healing. You just need a place that tells you, "You’re welcome here, exactly as you are."
References:
Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.
Dana, D. (2018). The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.
Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. Gotham Books.
Siegel, D. J. (2010). The Mindful Therapist: A Clinician’s Guide to Mindsight and Neural Integration. W. W. Norton & Company.
Cozolino, L. (2014). The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment and the Developing Social Brain. W. W. Norton & Company.
Bratman, G. N., et al. (2019). “Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective.” Science Advances, 5(7), eaax0903.
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