27/01/2026
Psychological safety and why it matters
Are there spaces, situations or groups where you seem to feel more unsettled, less assured, or even somewhat fearful of being your true self?
It can look like
- clamming up instead of showing how you’re feeling
- overthinking your words or actions
- hiding mistakes or potential errors
- withholding ideas or opinions for fear of judgement
….and it can show up in exactly the places we’d like to be our full authentic self.
This is one of the reasons it can be hard to identify the experience; the situation doesn’t seem overtly threatening, but somehow, speaking up or putting yourself forward just doesn’t seem like a good idea… it feels uncomfortably risky, uneasy, vulnerable.
This is something to be mindful of in personal situations aswell as at work, where a lack of psychological safety can have a profound impact on not just contribution, but also on confidence, stress levels and overall wellbeing. In fact, it can lead to behavioural shifts such as disengagement, reluctance to take risks, self-censorship and even burn-out.
If you do feel this experience resonates with you, (in personal or business setting), it can be valuable to
👌Recognise the feeling /name the fearful response
👌Focus on what’s within your control rather than what others might say or do
👌Seek support if appropriate and available
👌Consider your boundaries in relation to the environment
Psychological safety isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessary component to building, confidence, authenticity and true agency.
I’m here if you’d like to discuss how this is impacting you.
Amanda Rowe Hypno
www.amandarowehypno.co.uk