The Art of Holding Space: A Practice of Love, Liberation, and Leadership

by Heather Plett

Overview

Nautilus Award Winner: Silver, Relationships & Communication 2020

Holding space is the practice of compassionately witnessing, accepting, and supporting someone without judgement, while retaining your boundaries and sense of self.

The ability to “hold space” for yourself and for others has never been more urgent. Faced with global issues of climate change, political unrest, violence, and economic crises, more citizens of the world are experiencing disconnection, grief, and a deep sense of loneliness than at any other time.

But, with the right tools, you and your circle can become part of the solution. In this profound book, facilitator and speaker Heather Plett empowers you with constructive, actionable practices for transforming conflict, building boundaries, and increasing sovereignty in your own life—and the lives of those closest to you.

You’ll learn:
- How to create a non-judgmental space for yourself and others
- How to build trust and autonomy
- How to create and refine your circle of trust
- How to move through trauma
- How to reawaken your authentic identity
- How to work through conflict
- How to create “brave spaces” that allow for free expression

When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts, offer unconditional support, and let go of judgement and control. We show we are willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they’re on without making them feel inadequate, needing to change them, or trying to impact the outcome.

By holding space, you create a container for liberation to occur in your life and in society. The Art of Holding Space is an instrument for hope, transition, and positive change in our time of near-constant transition, as we yearn to emerge into a new story.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781989603475
Publisher:	Page Two Books, Inc.
Publication date:	09/29/2020
Pages:	360
Sales rank:	285,046
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Heather is an international speaker, facilitator, and writer who specializes in the art of holding space. Participants of her Holding Space Practitioner Program have come from six continents to join her online and at in-person workshops around the world. Her writing on the subject of holding space has appeared in publications such as Harvard Business Review and Grist magazine and has been quoted in multiple books as well as curriculum for nurses, hospice care workers, yoga teachers, facilitators, and military chaplains. She lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with her three daughters.

Learn more at heatherplett.com

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part 1 The fundamentals of holding space

1 What is "holding space"? 9

2 Liminal space 23

3 The essential elements of holding space 35

4 What guides and supports you 63

5 Refining your container 77

6 Hijacking space 89

7 When close is too close 97

8 Problematic behaviours 109

9 Bypassing liminal space 117

Part 2 Strengthening the container

10 Your psychic membrane 131

11 Psychic membranes in relationship 143

12 Circles of trust 155

13 The spiral of authenticity 165

14 Recognizing shock absorbers 191

15 Holding space and your unmet needs 201

16 Practices that strengthen the container 209

17 Our bodies and holding space 219

18 Allowing others to be your bowl 227

19 The shadow 237

Part 3 Advanced concepts

20 From safe spaces to brave spaces 247

21 Understanding power 265

22 Privilege, oppression, and intersectionality 275

23 Holding space at the intersection 291

24 When there is conflict 303

25 The circle as container 319

26 Seeking sovereignty 325

27 Holding space for human evolution 333

Acknowledgements 339

Notes 343