When we receive messages of safety through these lower, older regions of the brain, it allows for a settling of the system, an orientation of openness and the ability to be more receptive, curious, and creative. This doesn’t happen through thinking to ourselves “I am safe,” but through felt cues of safety interpreted through the body. Therefore, if we want to effectively connect to the functions of the cortex, we need to work from the bottom-up. In brief: if my physical and survival needs aren’t met, and I don’t feel a sense of relational safety and belonging, my access to learning, reflection, and slower, more responsive types of thinking are limited.