Episode 44: Finding Safety Within

Oct 22

The Space Between Episode 44: Finding Safety Within with Dr. Talia Shafir, Somatic Psychologist

Safety is not just a feeling. It is a biological state, one the body decides before the mind ever gets a vote. In this episode, Alyson sits down with returning guest Dr. Talia Shafir, a somatic psychologist, to explore why so many of us feel unsteady right now, and what it actually takes to feel grounded again.

This conversation goes beneath the surface of anxiety and overwhelm to look at how the nervous system learns safety in the first place, why those early patterns can follow us for decades, and how the body itself, not just the mind, holds the key to changing them. Talia and Alyson talk through the difference between managing a crisis and actually healing the patterns underneath it, and why real safety is built in relationship, not in isolation.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why the body often knows we're unsafe before the mind does
How early relationships teach the nervous system what safety feels like, and why those patterns are so hard to unlearn
The difference between personal safety, bodily regulation, and real-world danger
Why proximity, attunement, and emotional accessibility matter more than we realize
How something as simple as a phone can keep the nervous system stuck in an external loop
What the body remembers, and how physical tension can hold onto old experiences
Practical, in-the-moment ways to return to the body when anxiety takes over
Why reassurance and staying present with another person can be part of healing, not a workaround
"You can earn your security."
"Keep yourself in the frame."

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

BodyNamics, the body-oriented psychotherapy approach referenced in the conversation

CONNECT WITH DR. TALIA SHAFIR

https://www.linkedin.com/in/talia-b-shafir-66174159

CONNECT WITH THE SPACE BETWEEN

Website

https://spacebetweenpod.com

Show Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/tsb_alysonrixner/

Alyson's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/alysonrixner/

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