I really like your idea of an environment of safety and I think I tried to do that, too, without labeling it.
The other thing I focused on was the safety of telling me ANYTHING that made them uncomfortable, and getting to have at least some choice of just venting or having me suggest things to do, or do something about it myself.
In the teen years my big focus was "this is the time to learn how you feel and how to handle yourself when you feel that way, how you take care of your feelings and how and when you choose to express them." Because that really is, in the teen years, a great time to work on that. You're not going to get fired from a job for a temper tantrum, or for weeping from grief, or for dancing from joy--you might miss a day of school but so what? You can practice appropriate ways of expressing yourself *and* you can practice taking care of yourself, figuring out when you need mood music or a nap or a bath or a walk outside or some friendly company or to write poetry or whathaveyou.
no subject
The other thing I focused on was the safety of telling me ANYTHING that made them uncomfortable, and getting to have at least some choice of just venting or having me suggest things to do, or do something about it myself.
In the teen years my big focus was "this is the time to learn how you feel and how to handle yourself when you feel that way, how you take care of your feelings and how and when you choose to express them." Because that really is, in the teen years, a great time to work on that. You're not going to get fired from a job for a temper tantrum, or for weeping from grief, or for dancing from joy--you might miss a day of school but so what? You can practice appropriate ways of expressing yourself *and* you can practice taking care of yourself, figuring out when you need mood music or a nap or a bath or a walk outside or some friendly company or to write poetry or whathaveyou.