Holding space
{{Short description|Concept meaning to create a safe space for someone}}
Holding space is a psychology concept meaning creating a safe space for someone or something by being present for them, physically, emotionally and mentally without judgement.
The concept of "holding" was coined by Donald Winnicott in 1960 in a paper on the relationship of infants and parents and has since seen evolving use in the field of psychotherapy. The term "holding space" was popularized around 2015 by Heather Plett in a blog post about the concept.
In popular culture, the phrase "holding space" gained a rapid rise in popularity following an interview in November 2024 between journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist and Wicked actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
History
Donald Winnicott coined the concept of "holding" in psychology in 1960 in a paper discussing the relationship of parents and infants.{{cite journal|url=|title=The theory of the parent-infant relationship|journal=International Journal of Psychoanalysis|date=November 1960|volume=41|pages=585–95|pmid=13785877 |author1=WINNICOTT DW|author1-link=Donald Winnicott}}{{cite book|url=https://search.worldcat.org/title/842264643|title=Holding and Psychoanalysis: A Relational Approach|author=Joyce Anne Slochower|publisher=Routledge|date=15 April 2013|isbn=9781135891718}}
Since then, the concept has evolved in its use in therapy beyond the parent/child relationship, with the concept of empathy and meeting patients where they are at its core.
The "holding" concept further evolved with the term "holding space", which was popularized by Heather Plett, a writer from Canada in a then-viral 2015 blog post. Plett described the term as: "being willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they're on, without judging them, making them feel inadequate, trying to fix them, or trying to impact the outcome".{{cite web|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/between-the-generations/202305/what-does-it-mean-to-hold-space|title=What Does It Mean to Hold Space?|website=Psychology Today|date=23 May 2023|access-date=28 November 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://heatherplett.com/2015/03/hold-space/|title=What it means to "hold space" for people, plus eight tips on how to do it well|date=11 March 2015|access-date=28 November 2024|archive-date=22 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240722195420/https://heatherplett.com/2015/03/hold-space/|url-status=live}}
The term is often used in the context of therapy where the concept of safe spaces are a common theme.{{cite web|url=https://www.wellandgood.com/holding-space/|title=What "Holding Space" for Someone Means and How To Do It|date=3 October 2021|access-date=28 November 2024|website=Well and Good|archive-date=27 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527224937/https://www.wellandgood.com/holding-space/|url-status=live}}{{cite book|title=Exploring Depth Psychology and the Female Self: Feminist Themes from Somewhere|author1-first=Leslie |author1-last=Gardner|author2-first=Catriona |author2-last=Miller|publisher=Routledge |year=2020 |chapter=Safe space in depth psychology|pages=199–201|quote=[W]e can find such ideas in Winnicott's (1971) formulation of holding space that stems from literal understanding of the physical holding of the infant by the mother. This maternal holding became the metaphor of theraputic holding and the holding space in therapy.}}{{rp|200}}
=In popular culture=
The phrase "holding space" further gained rapid popularity outside of the field of psychology in November 2024 following an interview between Tracy E. Gilchrist and actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande during a press tour interview for the 2024 musical fantasy film Wicked, based on the first act of the stage musical of the same name. In the interview, Gilchrist says to Erivo and Grande that audiences were "holding space" with the lyrics of "Defying Gravity," the musical's signature song.{{Cite web |last=Donnelly |first=Matt |date=2024-11-26 |title='Holding Space' for 'Defying Gravity': Viral 'Wicked' Journalist on Getting Recognized in Public, Selling Merch and What on Earth She Meant |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/holding-space-defying-gravity-wicked-interview-meaning-1236223273/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127014417/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/holding-space-defying-gravity-wicked-interview-meaning-1236223273/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-11-27 |title=Ok So... How Do You Actually 'Hold Space' For 'Defying Gravity'? |url=https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a63032339/holding-space-therapy-speak-meme-wicked/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=ELLE |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Shrikant |first=Aditi |date=2024-11-25 |title=Are you 'holding space' for 'Defying Gravity'? Here's what the concept actually means, from a psychologist |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/25/a-psychologist-explains-what-holding-space-actually-means.html |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=CNBC |language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/25/style/wicked-interview-holding-space.html |title=There Have Been Dozens of 'Wicked' Interviews. Why Did This One Go Viral? |website=The New York Times |date=25 November 2024 |access-date=28 November 2024 |archive-date=26 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241126015857/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/25/style/wicked-interview-holding-space.html |url-status=live }} Axios has said the phrase means "a way of creating judgement-free, safe spaces for healing".{{cite web | url=https://www.axios.com/2024/11/26/holding-space-wicked-defying-gravity-explained | title=Behind the meme: Why "Wicked" fans are "holding space" for "Defying Gravity"|date=26 November 2024 }} Glamour said, "No one seems to fully understand what any of this actually means — or, for that matter, if it means anything at all. Indeed, that's kind of the beauty of it."{{Cite web |last=Walters |first=Meg |date=2024-11-26 |title=Wait… what does 'holding space' actually mean? |url=https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/holding-space-meme-wicked-cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Glamour UK |language=en-GB}} In a follow-up interview with Variety, when asked to explain the meaning behind the phrase, Gilchrist explained her understanding of the phrase as:
{{quote|'Holding space' is being physically, emotionally and mentally present with someone or something. For me, it means being in the moment, not being distracted and feeling something on a cellular level.}}