Therapists have long asked what makes treatment, whether in community or forensic settings, come alive in work with adults. What enables clients not only to cope in the present, but to engage in a transformative, relational process of change? While safety refers to protection from harm, safeness describes the client’s subjective experience of feeling secure enough to relax, explore their inner world, and ultimately flourish.

When clients experience safeness, their internal world shifts. Defenses soften, and curiosity expands. Clients become more willing to take emotional risks and approach difficult material with greater flexibility. Under these conditions, treatment can be more effective.

In this training, Dr. Kate Lucre—an expert in treating relational trauma and attachment issues—explores the relationship between safeness and play, and why both are central to meaningful therapeutic work across client populations. Her approach is grounded in compassion-focused therapy and related modalities.

Drawing on the work of Donald Winnicott, particularly his contributions to developmental psychology and early parent–infant relationships, Dr. Lucre conceptualizes therapy as a shared “play space”: a relational field in which insight, experimentation, and integration can emerge. When safeness is absent, however, therapy can quickly constrict, leaving clients entrenched in rigidity, over-intellectualization, or emotional withdrawal. Moreover, both safeness and play may themselves feel threatening, particularly in the context of complexity and vulnerability.

Topics addressed during this training include:

• Safeness as a foundational condition for facilitating behavioral change
• How a playful therapeutic stance promotes insight and transformation
• Recognizing when attempts to establish safeness are ineffective
• Practical strategies for cultivating safeness and integrating creativity into clinical work

Through examples and applied strategies, attendees gain tools to enliven their therapeutic work and support clients in accessing new possibilities for growth. Dr. Lucre invites participants to reimagine therapy not just as a space for understanding, but as a space where something new can emerge.

Interactive Follow-Up Meeting

Attendees are invited to join an open discussion 15 minutes following the end of the training, where you can engage with fellow attendees by turning on your camera and microphone. This is an opportunity to share your experiences and contribute to a meaningful exchange of ideas. Time will be allocated to address questions or insights from the training. Please note that attendance is optional and will not affect your eligibility for a training certificate.