Emotional safety is the feeling of trust and openness in a relationship. Emotional safety is an essential component of a healthy relationship and contributes positively to your mental health and well-being. When you foster emotional safety with the people in your life, you can be your authentic self. It enables you to communicate openly and honestly without fear of judgment, reprisal, or abuse. Emotional safety also helps to build [intimate relationships](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/intimacy-in-a-relationship). A lack of emotional safety can lead to a disconnection between partners.
There are several ways to cultivate a sense of emotional safety in a relationship. Consider the following tips:

1. __Practice active listening__. Active listening is an integral part of any relationship. To practice [active listening](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-active-listening-to-improve-your-communication-skills), carefully listen to what your partner is communicating, maintain eye contact, and ask questions. Openly receiving what they are saying will make them feel safe speaking to you in the future.
2. __Be transparent__. Being open and honest with each other is a crucial way to build emotional safety. This ensures you maintain an open line of communication so that your partner feels like you’re not hiding anything from them, and vice versa. Transparency can establish [trust in your relationship](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/trust-in-a-relationship) and allow you to show the people in your life your true self.
3. __Be nonjudgmental__. Give your partner the benefit of the doubt and avoid judging them for what they say or do, name-calling, and ascribing bad intentions to their actions. Show empathy during disagreements to build a relationship rooted in compassion, where you have a safe environment to express your insecurities and doubts with each other.
4. __Show kindness toward your partner__. Being more intentional with how you treat each other—such as expressing gratitude, words of affirmation, acts of service, and [physical affection](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-show-affection)—can help foster a more loving relationship.
5. __Set and respect boundaries__. Setting boundaries is a way to practice self-care. Setting and respecting each other’s boundaries can help build trust, emotional security, and a sense of safety in a partnership.
6. __Seek couples therapy__. If you are having trouble establishing emotional safety on your own with your partner, going to couples therapy with your partner can be helpful. Speaking with a mental health professional or a psychotherapist in a safe space can help you establish healthy communication strategies and ways to deal with conflict. 
Craving a little more intimacy? Grab a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com) and learn more about open <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/robin-robertss-tips-for-effective-communication' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/robin-robertss-tips-for-effective-communication","linkCopy":"communication","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>communication</a> with your partners, experimenting in the bedroom, and being your own best sexual advocate with a little help from Emily Morse (host of the wildly popular podcast *Sex With Emily*). 
Emotional safety is that feeling of honesty, trust, and openness that comes from a healthy relationship. Learn how to foster emotional safety in your relationships through open communication and acts of kindness.

Emotional safety is that feeling of honesty, trust, and openness that comes from a healthy relationship. Learn how to foster emotional safety in your relationships through open communication and acts of kindness.

How to Build Emotional Safety in a Relationship

Emotional safety is the feeling of trust and openness in a relationship. Emotional safety is an essential component of a healthy relationship and contributes positively to your mental health and well-being. When you foster emotional safety with the people in your life, you can be your authentic self. It enables you to communicate openly and honestly without fear of judgment, reprisal, or abuse. Emotional safety also helps to build <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/intimacy-in-a-relationship' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/intimacy-in-a-relationship","linkCopy":"intimate relationships","category":null}'>intimate relationships</a>. A lack of emotional safety can lead to a disconnection between partners.

What Is Emotional Safety in a Relationship?

There are several ways to cultivate a sense of emotional safety in a relationship. Consider the following tips:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Practice active listening. Active listening is an integral part of any relationship. To practice <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-active-listening-to-improve-your-communication-skills' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-active-listening-to-improve-your-communication-skills","linkCopy":"active listening","category":null}'>active listening</a>, carefully listen to what your partner is communicating, maintain eye contact, and ask questions. Openly receiving what they are saying will make them feel safe speaking to you in the future. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Be transparent. Being open and honest with each other is a crucial way to build emotional safety. This ensures you maintain an open line of communication so that your partner feels like you’re not hiding anything from them, and vice versa. Transparency can establish <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/trust-in-a-relationship' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/trust-in-a-relationship","linkCopy":"trust in your relationship","category":null}'>trust in your relationship</a> and allow you to show the people in your life your true self. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Be nonjudgmental. Give your partner the benefit of the doubt and avoid judging them for what they say or do, name-calling, and ascribing bad intentions to their actions. Show empathy during disagreements to build a relationship rooted in compassion, where you have a safe environment to express your insecurities and doubts with each other. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Show kindness toward your partner. Being more intentional with how you treat each other—such as expressing gratitude, words of affirmation, acts of service, and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-show-affection' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-show-affection","linkCopy":"physical affection","category":null}'>physical affection</a>—can help foster a more loving relationship. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Set and respect boundaries. Setting boundaries is a way to practice self-care. Setting and respecting each other’s boundaries can help build trust, emotional security, and a sense of safety in a partnership. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Seek couples therapy. If you are having trouble establishing emotional safety on your own with your partner, going to couples therapy with your partner can be helpful. Speaking with a mental health professional or a psychotherapist in a safe space can help you establish healthy communication strategies and ways to deal with conflict. </li></ol>

6 Ways to Cultivate Emotional Safety in a Relationship 

Craving a little more intimacy? Grab a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a> and learn more about open <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/robin-robertss-tips-for-effective-communication' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/robin-robertss-tips-for-effective-communication","linkCopy":"communication","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>communication</a> with your partners, experimenting in the bedroom, and being your own best sexual advocate with a little help from Emily Morse (host of the wildly popular podcast Sex With Emily).

Let’s Talk About Sex

Emotional safety is that feeling of honesty, trust, and openness that comes from a healthy relationship. Learn how to foster emotional safety in your relationships through open communication and acts of kindness.

Emotional safety is that feeling of honesty, trust, and openness that comes from a healthy relationship. Learn how to foster emotional safety in your relationships through open communication and acts of kindness.
