04/10/2026
Felt Safety Friday 😊
Why is felt safety so important for interoception?
Because the body needs to feel safe before it can focus on noticing itself.
Think about what happens when the nervous system is busy trying to manage the outside world. If we are preoccupied with adjusting to our environment, trying to avoid trouble, keeping up with expectations, or figuring out if we are safe with the people around us, there may be very little attention left for noticing what our body is feeling or needing.
To notice body signals, the body first needs to experience felt safety.
We need to feel safe in our environments before attention can shift inward.
We also need to feel safe with other people before trusting that it’s okay to share how our body feels.
When adults offer felt safety to children, we send an important message:
Your needs are accepted.
Your experience is valid.
It’s okay to express what your body is communicating.
Over time, this safety builds trust and encourages children to continue communicating their needs in whatever ways they can.
What is one way you offer felt safety to yourself or others? Let us know in the comments below!
Image Description: A purple tile with dark purple lettering at the top reading, “F is for felt safety“. A graphic of Dr. Curious (a smiling lady in a white lab coat with red hair, large glasses, and a pink bow in her hair) in the bottom, right corner of the tile with a word bubble coming out of her mouth, with black lettering that reads, “What is one way you offer felt safety to yourself and others?”.
