Surviving to Thriving Step 2: Creating a Holding Environment

Welcome to Step 2 in Surviving to Thriving: Creating a Holding Environment!!

In the Step 1 course, Recognizing Survival Mode, you explored how and why fight/flight/freeze reactions show up for you.  Now you will discover how the holding environment is a necessary foundation for converting Survival reactions into Thriving responses.

In the course you will learn what a holding environment is, why it is essential for Thriving, and how to create one for yourself and others.  We will also discuss the ways you seek holding and how that evolves as you shift from Surviving to Thriving and Awakening Modes.

What is a Holding Environment?

The holding environment is a field of love and support foundational for thriving and awakening.  You may have heard the phrases: safe space, holding space, sacred space, or safe haven which are similar.  Ideally, it is the capacity to unconditionally show up for yourself and others regardless of the circumstances.

The Holding environment has the love and support you need to be your best self as you grow from a child to an adult. Some qualities of love include feeling comforted, nurtured, embraced, wanted, and treasured as you are.  We will discuss how Tools such as mindfulness/presence, compassionate curiosity, complete acceptance, and gratitude activate those loving feelings.

The qualities of support are feeling stable, safe, balanced, competent, and hopeful.  These qualities allow you to make healthy choices that benefit your emotional, physical, mental, and social life.  We will discuss how these are activated with the Tools of: Healthy Choices, Wisdom, and Flexible Structure.

Click HERE to download the Holding Environment Reflections Form. You’ll use this form after each lesson.

Enjoy…and remember to create the space and time to EXPERIENCE what you are learning. This will take the work in deeper.