The Art of Holding in Therapy: An Essential Intervention for Postpartum Depression and Anxiety

Written by a pioneer in the field, this second edition provides updated skill-building tools and a more developed, comprehensive understanding of how therapists can use the holding approach when treating perinatal distress.

First conceptualized by D.W. Winnicott, the ＂holding＂ approach refers to a therapist’s capacity to respond to postpartum distress in a way that facilitates an immediate and successful therapeutic alliance. This model has continued to advance, and this newly updated edition will help readers learn how to contain high levels of agitation, fear, and panic in a way that cultivates trust and the early stages of connectedness. Filled with vignettes throughout, this book includes chapters on what holding is, how to prepare using this model, the emotions specific to postpartum mothers, the essential holding elements, and the practice of holding. This book uniquely addresses the needs of therapists who may find themselves confronting, struggling with, or recovering from their own reproductively related journeys, with chapters discussing the professional’s identity, clinical challenges, and a new chapter on cultural humility.

This book is essential reading for all of those in the perinatal mental health community, such as therapists, social workers, and clinicians.

Karen Kleiman, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and internationally recognized expert on maternal mental health. With over three decades of experience in the field, she is the author of several books on postpartum depression and anxiety and is the founder of The Postpartum Stress Center and The Karen Kleiman Training Center.

Hilary Waller, MS, LPC, . is a psychotherapist in private practice and provides training to perinatal providers and women and their families.