Finally, the child can soothe himself or herself by recalling and imagining mom's actions. In time, self-soothing becomes automatic and operates unconsciously to ward off anxiety. Things that might upset us get neutralized by the self-soothing so that many potential worries never even come to mind. If self-soothing is in short supply, one can be flooded with things to worry about. Good self-soothing is transportable and genuinely owned by the individual.
Some moms supply loads of self-soothing but only through a psychological umbilical cord.
Some families teach children that home is safe and the world outside is dangerous. Even a good original supply of self-soothing can be damaged by trauma. Or, a bad flight or being mugged can damage self-soothing in a more limited way so that one avoids flying in similar conditions or certain street situations. If self-soothing is not transportable, problems arise when going out into the world on our own. Leaving home separates us from our source soothing.