Holding Time

Kid Power therapists sometimes suggest parents use a parenting technique called "Holding Time" advocated by child psychiatrist, Martha Welch, in her book by the same name. Unlike "rage reduction therapy," "holding therapy," or "re-birthing therapy," sometimes suggested for severely disordered children, Holding Time is a loving interaction between parent and child. Kid Power therapists neither use nor advocate the use of the three techniques mentioned above. 
Holding time is a special experience between mother and child where a space in time is created with no distractions, and the mother actually holds the child (big or small) on her lap . It might be done in response to a child acting out in a way that the mother is not comfortable with. Or it can be something that mom does when it seems as if the child will benefit or their relationship needs that kind of connection.

There are three stages to each holding time. The child will often cuddle during the first stage. During the second stage, the child usually rejects the mother's holding and wants to get down. When the mother doesn't allow it, the child gets their "angries" out.

The mother responds with whatever feelings are coming up in her as the child is being angry. Usually after this rejection stage, there is a very relaxed and close connection when the child touches the mother's face, makes deep eye contact, and says loving things to the mother. At this point the connection or bond is really made between mother and child. The child feels that all his or her upset feelings are acceptable to the mother, and the mother sees that she was able to really stay there for her child and let them know she was in charge. Both mother and child have the physical and emotional contact that every human needs.
Mothers like it because they find themselves needing to use less threatening or controlling methods with their children. Children like it and come back for more even though they may kick and scream to be let down from the holding before all three stages are complete.

Holding Time also gives father a chance to support mother in her deep bonding with their child by sitting in close physical contact with the mom while she connects with the child. In one of the series of pictures in Martha Welch's book, even sister is there next to father, being part of the whole experience.
The results of the deep connection that is created have brought autistic children from a world of no communication back to one of close union with the parents. With normal children, Holding Time has also had many kinds of success. This amazing technique helps many problems that arise with children, such as bed wetting, clinging, tantrums, lack of motivation, and sibling rivalry, because it gets to what is really being asked for under the acting out symptoms. It creates a very intimate and safe space for mother and child to communicate what is truly needed by the child.


Holding Time is a practical technique for mothers to achieve closer relationships with their children. It maximizes intellectual and emotional development. Holding improves self-esteem, problem solving and communication skills. It increases a child's ability to engage in interdependent relationships. Children learn to verbalize inner distress without difficulty. You, as parents, might be surprised to discover what your children have been bottling up inside.
Evidence is mounting that demonstrates the deleterious effects of stress on brain development. For an infant, stress is most commonly caused by separation from his mother and its subsequent dysregulation. In an ideal world, mothers would keep their infants close to them at all times, thus meeting their needs and regulating their behavior consistently and constantly. This would keep them in a state of calm arousal, the optimal condition for learning and for coping with strong emotions.
However, in today's fast-paced environment, babies and young children experience excessive amounts of separation. If a child's needs are not met in a timely manner, they feel hurt, sad, angry and helpless. They feel bad about themselves and lose their sense of security and trust. In extreme cases, this will lead to mean, aggressive or even sadistic behavior. Holding Time brings mother and child into a biological synchrony that re-establishes the mother's ability to regulate her child.
A child who develops balance resulting from empathy and reciprocity has all his resources and talents available for mastery, successful function, and constructive, mutually rewarding relationships at school, and later at work and in his family of procreation, as well as family of origin.

Abrazo de Contención y Constelaciones Familiares

son dos técnicas que la Dra.Döring aplica en México en español, inglés o francés. Cuando trabaja en Canadá puede haber traducción consecutiva informal de acuerdo a la petición de los participantes.  

Rosa Döring Hermosillo
Psicoterapeuta clínica, consteladora


Rosa Döring est la fondatrice de “Abrazos y Constelaciones Familiares,S.C”. Depuis 2003 elle forme des thérapeutes en constellations familiales suivant l’approche de Bert Hellinger et en thérapie de Holding elle enseigne aussi dans de nombreuses villes du Mexique.

Rosa Döring a suivi sa formation à l’Institut Institute für Systemische Familiem Therapie, Alemagne et l’école SOWELU, à México; et elle a fini sa formation de thérapeute de Holding à l’ Institut Instituto Prekop, de México.

Rosa Döring a fait un doctorat en psychologie clinique et des formations en psychothérapie analytique de groupe, psychologie des enfants, psychodrame, thérapie sexuelle, et en toxicomanie.

Son expérience professionnelle a été reconnue par des institutions comme l’ONU, l’UNICEF, l’UNAM, le Centre Alfred Bidet.

Ses publications traitent des sujets variés dont elle s’est occupée dans sa longue pratique professionnelle et son livre « Una ultima mirada al pasado para seguir adelante » a été vendu rapidement au Mexique.
La deuxième édition vient d’être publiée actuellement.