Holding Space: On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go

This book helped me so much after losing my father. Amy is a talented and visionary writer and storyteller. I absolutely loved how she weaved memoir throughout offerings of philosophy, educational insights from her academic pursuits, career insights and passionate exploration of birth, death and the breathe work that carries us between the two. I feel so blessed to have discovered this book in a time of my life where I needed it most. I was also raised by a parent with mental health challenges and around a lot of legalistic religion that I didn't identify with and so I valued how much she shared about her studies of pluralism and her challenges with her mom and family dynamics. Her bravery to tell her story with such openness and depth inspires me to want to tell mine (in my own medium/forms). I think this book should be required for every nurse and healthcare provider working around birth or death as sometimes all you can do to give best care is to hold space and she really inspires this so well in this read. I even got copies for my closest friends and family because I loved it so much.

Amy's writing sweeps up her readers on a journey into the heart of life, the mystery of death, and the importance of love. Her stories quickly captured me and the book unfolded as if it was reading itself. That kind of connection with a book is rare and a sign of a gifted writer. Amy pulls up a chair and teaches us about holding space by showing how this capacity developed in her own life, and in so doing she vulnerably invites the reader to practice holding space for her as they read along. As I read, I feel as if I am sitting under a tree, holding hands with a new spirit friend. Thank you, Amy, your writing is a cherished gift! I purchased this book as required reading for a training program on Holding Space for Pregnancy Loss through the Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death. I am a women's health massage therapist, birth and postpartum doula, Unitarian Universalist ministerial aspirant, and chaplain intern.

What does it mean to hold space? Written through the lens of Amy Wright Glenn's upbringing, travels, education, professional and personal experiences along with a measure of meaningful advice, one gets a balanced understanding of how - and when - to provide gentle guidance by being present without judgement, offering reflection, sensitive suggestions, even sitting in silence. Her words offer sound advice to those practitioners or loved ones who aim to companion those approaching transitions in life - and death - without the fear they may have previously had...and instead feel love, supported and understood.

A wonder, a marvel, a joy. This book has changed my everyday outlook profoundly. "For a limited time only" ... we are here, it reminds us. Ms. Glenn has inspired me to meditate and do yoga because she models the way in which these and other spiritual practices give way to a life of truth, love, and integrity. Whether you assist birth/death in a personal or professional way or not, this book will move you. In her light and poetic prose, Ms. Glenn shares insights about the threshold between life and death. She advocates self care and embracing the shadow parts of ourselves for chaplains and doulas. It is impossible not to admire how Ms. Glenn has made her life meaningful, one breath at a time. I sobbed through most of the book and feel both humbled and inspired to experience my life more mindfully. It is so, so hard. Thank you for this gift to us all.

This was well done, it is useful and compassionate information.

I came to birthwork through (what I thought) was an unusual route– I was, and am, a vigil volunteer for a local hospice. Over the last year and a half, I’ve struggled at times to find language to explain how I see those roles as being interconnected. I often hear from people something along the lines of, ‘Wow, two extreme ends of the spectrum!’ but that has never felt accurate to me; this book has helped me articulate for myself, and hopefully for others in the future, the nature and beauty of working in these liminal spaces, the thresholds and transitions. I haven’t yet come across any other resources that address the spaces of both birth *and* death companioning. ‘Holding Space’ made me feel deeply seen in a way that I didn’t realize I had wanted. I am so filled with gratitude for this work and Amy’s words.

I am reading Holding Space right now and really enjoying the knowledge and insight I am gaining from Amy Wright Glenn. Her voice really shines through from the text and offers readers a calm and hopeful tone in supporting others through death and loss. Her writing is beautiful, powerful, and healing. I feel very grateful for the time and work it took for Amy Wright Glenn to share these thoughts and experiences on being present for the rite of passage of death and holding space for all who need healing at such an incredibly emotional time.

I read this book as part of Amy Wright Glenn’s Course on shadow work and it provided some wonderful insight. In all aspects of life there is death…. And ending of various things, even the end of a day. Amy provides a helpful narrative with an opportunity to shift perspective to embrace a multitude of life’s endings, whether it be a life, a relationship, a period of time, etc. She provides relevant information for readers who would like to transition as peacefully as possible. Thank you Amy for sharing, and thank you for putting your work out into the world. You are a gift.

This is a wonderful book for those interested in how you 'hold space' for grief suffering and the impermanence of life. I really appreciated her secular approach but she also demonstrated deep respect to religious thought and philosophy.

I liked the way she strings together birth, breath, and death. I would have liked more resources specifically for death Doulas. I recommend this book to every single Doula - whether you are birth, pp, death, or something else. Every priest/priestess too... Anyone who holds sacred space for people in transition!

This book gives so much insight into the practice of holding space and companioning in all stages of life. So much depth and well - rounded with stories of birth and death. Highly recommend.

I absolutely loved this book. As a Doula, and a grieving mother, I found this book impossible to put down and finished so quickly I had to read it again. It was meditative and soothing, enlightening and captivating. I highly recommend it.

Beautiful book, amazingly healing and helpful.