What is a Message of Safety?
In this brief YouTube monologue, Joanne Smith defines a "message of safety" as any signal that gently informs the brain and nervous system that the individual is safe. She emphasizes that safety messages can be internal feelings of reassurance or external actions that the nervous system learns to associate with safety. Smith highlights the neurobiological insight that pain can be generated by the brain even without tissue damage, underscoring the power of perceived safety. She then offers practical, personalized examples—most notably smiling at oneself in a mirror or on camera, and smiling at others—as quick, accessible ways to trigger a calming, safety response in the nervous system. The overall takeaway is that cultivating individualized safety cues can help regulate nervous‑system arousal and reduce perceived pain or stress.
