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What does safety actually mean after childhood trauma? If you've experienced abuse or neglect, feeling safe—especially in relationships—can be deeply unfamiliar. In this episode, I break down the different dimensions of safety and share practical strategies for creating it in your body, relationships, and daily life.

What You'll Learn

• The five dimensions of safety: physical, emotional, psychological, social, and self-safety—and why they all matter
• How to assess whether you're truly safe in the present moment or responding to past trauma
• Why self-safety is at the core of healing—learning to trust yourself, set boundaries, and protect your well-being
• How Polyvagal theory explains safety as a nervous system state and how to recognize your body's signals
• Practical exercises to reconnect with your nervous system and move from shutdown or fight/flight back to safety and connection
• How to use boundaries, affirmations, and parts work to increase your sense of safety
• Why anger and other emotions are messengers that tell you when boundaries have been crossed
• How social dynamics like oppression affect your experience of safety—and strategies for navigating them

Who This Is For
This episode is for adults who experienced childhood abuse, neglect or childhood trauma and struggle to feel safe in their bodies, relationships, or the world. It's also for anyone navigating complex trauma who wants practical tools to build self-safety, strengthen boundaries, and learn to trust themselves again.

Mentioned episodes and articles:

• Five Effective Trauma Counselling Strategies:
  https://brighthorizontherapies.com/blog/five-effective-trauma-counselling-techniques/
• Polyvagal Theory for Trauma:
  https://brighthorizontherapies.com/blog/polyvagal-theory-for-trauma/
• Understanding the Window of Tolerance: https://brighthorizontherapies.com/blog/understanding-the-window-of-tolerance/
• Get your free copy of Toxic Relationships 101:
  https://brighthorizontherapies.com/toxic-relationships-guide/
• Assess your boundaries with the Healthy Boundaries Quiz:
  https://brighthorizontherapies.com/blog/healthy-boundaries-quiz/

If you’d like to explore more, here are some ways to connect:

• Discover more about my work: https://brighthorizontherapies.com/
• Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brighthorizontherapies/
• Send me a message: [email protected]

Trauma Demystified is not intended to replace professional guidance, support, medical treatment, or therapy. Please feel free to consult your physician or a mental health professional for any questions about mental health symptoms.

Bright Horizon Therapies is located in the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda. This land is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. I acknowledge the traditional caregivers of the land and the importance of a commitment to the continued decolonization of my work.