I love this. My parents have always used the word, "Promise?" Whereafter the other person can ONLY reply with "Promise" if they sincerely promise that it's true. My mom explained this to me years ago as their system for establishing that the other person wasn't joking. I never thought of it before as an emotional safe word, but it totally is.

... And if their relationship is any indication — happy, harmonious, passionate for nearly 40 years — then it seems there's pretty good evidence that the intimacy- and trust-building of emotional safe words are definitely quite potent. ;)

Thank you for sharing!