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I have to confess that I am rather hesitant about the concept of “holding” despite the fact that I have made certain efforts to test its usefulness. These efforts were mainly due to the fact that I have in other contexts to a great extent been inspired by Winnicott. “Holding” has in my opinion become a conceptual container where very disparate elements seem to be thrown.
When I re-read Winnicott's text from 1965, I cannot but see that he has chiefly the following contributions from the analyst in mind.
Empathy.
Comprehension of the analytical process.
To now and then convey in words that you know and understand what is going on.
The reliable setting of the analytical situation.
I imagine that most analysts from S. Freud and onwards have been of the opinion that these ingredients are compulsory in all psychoanalysis and that they constitute the necessary qualifications for our interpretation.
Winnicott even points out that “physical holding” to the extent that it