Finding Shelter in the Storm: The Power (and Fragility) of Trust

When life feels uncertain, many of us turn to the people we love for comfort and stability. But relationships don’t automatically protect us from life’s storms — they only become a true shelter when built on trust.

In this talk, Dr Veronica Lamarche from the Department of Psychology at the University of Essex explores how our connections with others can serve as powerful psychological buffers against stress and insecurity, and why trust — both in others and in ourselves — is the key ingredient.

Drawing on insights from relationship science and social-personality psychology, Veronica will discuss how experiences with others—real or imagined—shape our ability to depend on each other, why some people struggle to feel safe even in loving relationships, and what science suggests about creating the kind of closeness that truly sustains us when the world feels unpredictable.