Placebo versus Reassurance....

I was thinking of using 'architectural placebo' somewhere in my thesis title but have been having second thoughts about this. While it's a nice phrase, I'm very aware of the fact that many people associate 'placebo' with a fake or sham, perhaps something slightly underhand or having 'snake oil' connotations.

A placebo is by definition a neutral stimulus with no therapeutic effects...

However, the environment does have a therapeutic effect on mental health.

My use of the term is associated with my knowledge that the placebo effect, in medicine, is a very real effect acknowledged by the medical profession and specifically accounted for when conducting placebo controlled trials of 'real' medication.

However, the alternatives sound kind of boring - something along the lines of

• environmental effects on psychological wellbeing
• environmental therapy, architectural therapy, healing architecture (ugh!, too 70's), 
• The Architecture of Reassurance - that's probably a better phrase

I also want something that sounds scientific but also quirky or unexpected so you're not presented with something that you may have an immediate reaction to (eg. negative preconceived ideas about). Unfortunately there's nothing particularly 'quirky' about reassurance. You hear the word, you immediately know what it means, there's no thinking about it, wondering..

• reassurance = comfort, support, faith, hope, (insurance?), solace
• reassurance = to restore confidence,
• the architecture = health insurance
• environmental health insurance
• architectural health insurance
• investment in this will reduce the risk of ill health