24/06/2026
TSY: Holding Space: What It Means — and What It Isn’t
“Holding space” is one of those phrases that has become so common in yoga and wellness-adjacent circles, but what does it really mean? The term describes something important but it is also frequently misunderstood and misused.
So what does it actually mean?
The concept of holding comes from psychology and psychotherapy, describing therapeutic presence, attunement and, importantly, containment. In a therapeutic environment, creating a safe relational space where another person can experience and process difficult emotions is essential. So, in practice, “holding space” should mean creating conditions where someone can safely explore what is happening for them. If someone is grieving, anxious, angry, confused, or processing something important, holding space means being present without rushing to fix, advise, judge, or redirect their experience.
But here’s where the conversation becomes important.
Holding space does not simply mean being present. In many wellness and yoga circles, the phrase is often used casually, as though showing up and caring is enough. While presence is valuable, the original psychological context points to something more.
A therapist, counsellor, or trauma-informed facilitator is trained to remain emotionally grounded when another person becomes distressed or dysregulated. They learn how to regulate themselves in the presence of strong emotions, recognise signs of overwhelm, maintain appropriate boundaries, and support the process without making it about themselves. Importantly, they may also be able to help someone move from a state of dysregulation toward greater stability and regulation, either through co-regulation or by guiding them through a self-regulation process; these are learned skills developed through appropriate training and practice.
Some trauma-sensitive yoga trainings include aspects of this work. Psychotherapy trainings certainly do. But simply calling oneself a “space holder” does not automatically confer these abilities, and without them
“holding space” becomes a phrase that sounds meaningful while obscuring the limits of what is actually being offered.
