"Holding Space: Beyond the Buzzword"

Holding space is about simply being. Open, steady, present.

Recently, a client said to me, "I hate it when people say 'holding space' - what does that even mean?!" I loved her honesty, and she's right - it's one of those phrases that gets tossed around so much that it's easy for it to feel empty. So today, I want to share what I mean when I say it, and how it shows up in my work with massage and coaching.

Let's start with what holding space isn't:

• Fixing

• Giving advice

• Filling the silence with solutions or word salad

• Centering myself in your story

  
  

What it is:

• Full body presence - without judgment

• Listening DEEPLY - to your words, your body, and even what you don't say

• A container for you to have your experience

• Allowing emotions to BE without rushing through them

It's the difference between someone nodding at you while they're scrolling their phone, or sitting with you, looking you in the eyes, and listening like every word matters.

In a world where we're so often rushing, fixing, or numbing, holding space is radical. To feel that your story matters - that you matter - is a feeling I pray that you experience. When someone holds space for you, you feel it in your bones: safe, seen, supported.

If you feel curious about what it might be like to be supported in this way, I'd love for you to experience it - whether on my massage table, or in a coaching session. This is the heart of how I work.