PODCAST · kids
Holding Space with Julia
by Julia Clark
Holding Space is about showing up authentically and creating safety in the moments that matter most. From parenting littles to navigating friendships and partnerships, Julia Clark—psychotherapist and play therapist—reframes tantrums, conflicts, and messy feelings as invitations to connect. Each episode explores the building blocks of emotional literacy, co-regulation, and boundaries, while honouring the intergenerational stories we carry within. Blending science with lived wisdom, Holding Space reminds us that growth is playful, healing is possible, and we are all learning together.
Episodes
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Episode #55 – Everyday Regulation: Bringing Nervous System Calm into Daily Life
In this season finale of Holding Space, Julia brings together the key themes explored throughout the series—attachment, regulation, connection, defensiveness, repair, and the everyday moments that shape our relationships. Drawing on the work of Peter Levine and nervous system research, you'll...
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Episode #54 – When Your Child Keeps Calling "Mom… Mom… Mom…"
In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores one of the most familiar sounds in parenting: "Mom... Mom... Mom..." If you've ever felt like you're living inside that famous repetitive moment from Family Guy, where Stewie calls for his mother over and over again, you're not alone. But what if...
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Episode #53 – When Your Partner Gets Defensive: Responding with Curiosity, Not Criticism
In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores what really lies beneath defensiveness in relationships and why criticism often pushes couples further apart rather than bringing them closer together. Drawing on the work of Brené Brown, you'll learn how shame, vulnerability, and nervous system...
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Episode #52 – The Power of Attunement When Your Partner Is Overwhelmed
In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores what happens when overwhelm enters a relationship and how easily couples can get pulled into patterns of pursuit and withdrawal. Drawing on the work of Donald Winnicott and Sue Johnson, you'll learn how attachment, nervous system regulation, and...
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Episode #51 Setting Boundaries Without Rupturing Connection
In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores why setting boundaries can feel so difficult—and why we often find ourselves over-explaining in an effort to preserve connection. Drawing on the work of Carl Rogers and Alfred Adler, you'll learn how to hold clear, compassionate limits without...
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Episode #50 How to Handle Repeated Requests (When You've Already Said No)
Why do children keep asking after we've already said no? In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores repeated requests through the lens of attachment, nervous system regulation, and co-regulation. Rather than seeing repeated asking as defiance or manipulation, we look at what may be…
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Episode #49 – The Role of Co-Regulation During Transitions
Transitions can be some of the hardest moments in family life—not because children are "difficult," but because transitions are nervous system state shifts. In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores co-regulation through the lens of Polyvagal Theory and explains why moments like leaving…
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Episode #48 When Your Child Won't Go to Sleep: A Nervous System Perspective
When your child won't go to sleep, it's rarely just about bedtime. In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores sleep resistance through the lens of attachment and nervous system regulation—unpacking why bedtime can feel so emotionally charged for children and parents alike. Together, we look...
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Episode #47 – Managing Morning Chaos: Bringing Nervous System Calm to the Rush
Managing Morning Chaos: Bringing Nervous System Calm to the Rush Mornings can feel like a race against the clock—but beneath the rushing, resistance, and overwhelm, there's often a nervous system asking for safety and connection. In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores why mornings can…
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Episode #46 — Listening Beneath the Behaviour: Behaviour as Memory & Motion
Episode #46 — Listening Beneath the Behaviour: Behaviour as Memory & Motion What if behaviour isn't random—or something to fix—but a message waiting to be understood? In this episode of the series, Julia brings together the core framework of Decode–Attune–Respond, exploring behaviour through a...
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Episode #45 — The Child Freeze Response: Completing Stress Cycles Through Safety & Play
Episode #45 — The Child Freeze Response: Completing Stress Cycles Through Safety & Play When a child goes quiet, still, or says "I don't know," it can feel confusing—or even defiant. But what if that shutdown isn't avoidance… and is actually protection? In this episode, Julia explores the freeze...
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Episode #44 — "Manipulative" Behaviours: Adaptations for Connection Under Threat
Episode #44 — "Manipulative" Behaviours: Adaptations for Connection Under Threat When a child or teen is labeled "manipulative," it can feel frustrating, confusing, and even personal. But what if those behaviours aren't about control… and are actually about connection? In this episode, Julia...
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Episode #43 — "You Don't Love Me": Attachment Protest as a Safety Check
Episode #43 — "You Don't Love Me": Attachment Protest as a Safety Check When a child or teen says "you don't love me," it can feel painful, unfair, or even triggering. But what if those words aren't rejection… and are actually a bid for connection? In this episode, Julia explores attachment…
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Episode #42 — The "Ignore Me" Response: When Withdrawal Becomes Protection
Episode #42 — The "Ignore Me" Response: When Withdrawal Becomes Protection When a child, teen, or even partner says "never mind," "I don't care," or quietly pulls away—it can feel confusing or even hurtful. But what if that response isn't avoidance… and is actually protection? In this episode,...
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Episode #41 — Sibling Rivalry Through a Regulation Lens
Episode 41 — Sibling Rivalry Through a Regulation Lens Sibling rivalry can feel constant and overwhelming—but what if it's not misbehaviour at all? In this episode, Julia explores sibling conflict through a nervous system lens, drawing on the work of Melanie Klein. You'll discover how rivalry is...
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Episode #40 — The Connection Behind Clinginess
Clinginess isn't a behaviour problem—it's a nervous system reaching for safety. In this episode, we explore clinginess through the lens of attachment theory and uncover what's really happening beneath the surface in children, teens, and adults. Learn how to respond with connection, not…
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Episode #39 Is It Defiance… or a Fight for Agency?
When a child says "No," refuses, or pushes back, it's easy to see defiance as disrespect or misbehaviour. But what if it's something deeper? In this episode, we explore defiance through a nervous system lens—revealing how it's often a fight to protect a sense of agency, not a desire to control or...
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Episode #38 Why "Selective Hearing" Might Actually Be Dysregulation
In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores how what we often call "selective hearing" may actually be nervous system dysregulation. Drawing on Polyvagal Theory and the work of Dr. Stephen Porges, this conversation looks at how stress and perceived threat can literally change how we hear —...
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Episode # 37 – From Conflict to Connection: Repair as the Root of Safety
In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores the role of repair as the foundation of emotional safety and connection in relationships. Conflict is inevitable — in parenting, partnerships, and even within ourselves — but healing happens in the return. Drawing on attachment research, Polyvagal...
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Episode #36 – How to Repair After Rupture
In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores what happens after conflict — when we raise our voice, react from overwhelm, or hurt someone we care about — and how repair becomes the foundation for trust and emotional safety. Drawing on nervous system science, attachment theory, and the work of...
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Episode # 35 – When Your Child Hits You: Responding Without Shame
In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores one of the most challenging parenting moments — when a child hits. Through a nervous-system lens grounded in Polyvagal Theory, somatic work, and play therapy, she shares how to respond with calm boundaries instead of shame. This episode offers...
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Episode #34 – When Your Child Refuses to Listen: Shifting from Control to Connection
Episode 34 – When Your Child Refuses to Listen: Shifting from Control to Connection What do you do when your child just won't listen—no matter how many times you repeat yourself? In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores why resistance isn't defiance, but communication. Drawing from...
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Episode # 33 – When Your Child Lies: A Nervous System View of Truth and Safety
Episode #33 – When Your Child Lies: A Nervous System View of Truth and Safety When a child lies, it can hit straight in the gut. Anger. Fear. Disappointment. Shame. And the painful question many parents don't say out loud: "If I can't trust them, what does that mean?" In this episode of Holding...
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Episode #32 Why Your Partner's Shutdown Might Be a Stress Response, Not Disinterest
Why does shutdown feel like disinterest—and why does it hurt so much? In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores why a partner's withdrawal during conflict is often a stress response, not a lack of care. Drawing on Polyvagal Theory and the work of Bessel van der Kolk, we unpack what's...
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Episode #31 When Your Child Says 'I Hate You!
Episode 31 – When Your Child Says "I Hate You!": What's Really Happening Underneath In this episode of Holding Space with Julia, we explore what's really happening beneath the words "I hate you"—and why this moment is not the end of connection, but an invitation to deepen it. Drawing on…
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Episode #30 Flipping Your Lid – And What to Do Next
Episode 30 – Flipping Your Lid: What to Do Next In this episode of Holding Space with Julia, we explore what really happens after we "flip our lid"—and how moments of rupture can become powerful opportunities for repair. Building on Dr. Dan Siegel's Hand Model of the Brain and the concept of the...
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Episode #29 Dan Siegel's Hand Model of the Brain
Episode 29 – The Hand Model of the Brain: Understanding Big Feelings Without Shame In this episode of Holding Space with Julia, we explore Dr. Dan Siegel's Hand Model of the Brain—a simple, powerful tool that helps children and adults understand what happens when big feelings take over. Using...
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Episode # 28 Going Deeper with Julia
In this episode of Holding Space: Going Deeper with Julia, I share the story of how I came to understand safety—not as a technique or a strategy, but as a lived, relational experience built moment by moment. Drawing from over 25 years of work with children, families, and therapists—beginning in...
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Episode 27: From Behaviour to Connection: A Nervous System Lens
Episode 27: From Behaviour to Connection: A Nervous System Lens In this integrative and deeply grounding episode, Julia weaves together the themes from Episodes 19–26—behaviour as communication, adult regulation as anchor, compassion over perfection, and repair as the heart of relationship. She...
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Episode 26: Recovering After a Rupture
Episode 26: Recovering After a Rupture In this heartfelt and restorative episode, Julia explores what happens after the moments we wish we could take back—the ruptures. Whether it's with a child, partner, or student, she reminds us that disconnection is inevitable, but repair is where trust and...
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Episode 25: "I'm Not My Parent… But Sometimes I Still Lose It"
Episode 25: "I'm Not My Parent… But Sometimes I Still Lose It" In this tender and deeply validating episode, Julia speaks to the parents who vowed to do things differently—and still find themselves slipping into old patterns. She explores how those moments of yelling, shutting down, or reacting...
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Episode 24: "Good Parents Never Yell"… and Other Myths
Episode 24: "Good Parents Never Yell"… and Other Myths In this honest and freeing conversation, Julia dismantles one of parenting's most persistent myths: that good parents never yell. With warmth and compassion, she explains how yelling isn't a moral failure—it's a nervous system in overwhelm....
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Episode 23: From Chaos to Clarity: Calming a Dysregulated Home or Classroom
Episode 23: From Chaos to Clarity: Calming a Dysregulated Home or Classroom In this grounding and practical episode, Julia offers compassionate, real-world tools to bring calm to the chaos—whether it's the after-school whirlwind, a buzzing classroom, or a home that feels emotionally charged. She...
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Episode 22: What to Do When You Feel Like You're Failing as a Parent
Episode 22: What to Do When You Feel Like You're Failing as a Parent In this compassionate episode, Julia speaks directly to the tender moments every parent knows—the ones where guilt, exhaustion, or overwhelm whisper, "I'm failing." She reframes these moments through the lens of the nervous...
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Episode 21: When Our Kids' Feelings Trigger Our Own
Episode 21: When Our Kids' Feelings Trigger Our Own In this deeply resonant episode, Julia explores what happens when our children's big emotions awaken the unhealed parts of us. Whether it's a toddler's meltdown, a teen's eye roll, or a partner's sharp tone, our bodies often react not just to…
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Episode 20: Kids' Behaviour is Communication, Not Manipulation
Episode 20: Kids' Behaviour is Communication, Not Manipulation In this heartfelt episode, Julia invites us to shift the way we see children's behaviour—from something to manage or control, to something to understand. What looks like defiance, disrespect, or manipulation is often a nervous system...
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Episode 19: The "I Am" Sessions
Episode 19: The "I Am" Sessions In this deeply personal episode, Julia invites listeners into the heart of her "I Am" sessions—transformative two-hour experiences designed to explore the roots of our emotional triggers, patterns, and reactions. Through gentle reflection and nervous-system...
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Why Play Is the Language of Healing
Episode 18 – Why Play Is the Language of Healing In this episode of Holding Space, Julia brings the second series arc to a close—gently weaving together everything we've learned about play as the natural language of healing. From non-directive play and symbolic storytelling to repetition, sand…
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Sand Tray Therapy: The Stories Beneath the Surface
Episode 17 – Sand Tray Therapy: The Stories Beneath the Surface In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores the quiet depth of sand tray therapy—a practice that helps children, teens, and adults give shape to emotions that words can't yet hold. Through real-life examples and gentle...
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A Tour of the Playroom Zones
Episode 16 – A Tour of the Playroom Zones In this episode of Holding Space, Julia takes listeners on a guided tour of the playroom—exploring how each zone within a play therapy space is intentionally designed to support regulation, expression, and healing. From the nurturing zone where attachment...
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When Kids Repeat the Same Game: What Does It Mean?
Episode 15 – When Kids Repeat the Same Game: What Does It Mean? In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores why children repeat the same play themes—building the same tower, hiding the same toy, rescuing the same figure—over and over again. Through real-life examples and gentle reflections,...
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The Power of Symbolic Play (and Why It Matters)
Episode 14 – The Power of Symbolic Play (and Why It Matters) In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores the heart of how children communicate in therapy—symbolic play. Through stories, neuroscience, and gentle reflection, she reveals how metaphor and imagination allow children to process...
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What a Play Therapist Is Really Watching For
Episode 13 – What a Play Therapist Is Really Watching For In this episode of Holding Space, Julia invites listeners behind the scenes of the playroom to discover what a play therapist is truly paying attention to. Through stories and examples, she explores how themes, patterns, symbols, and…
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Why Children Don't Need to Talk to Heal
Episode 12 – Why Children Don't Need to Talk to Heal What if healing didn't begin with words? In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores why children don't need to talk to heal—and how their bodies and play often speak the truths their words cannot. Through real examples and gentle...
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The Difference Between Play and Therapeutic Play
Episode 11 – The Difference Between Play and Therapeutic Play Play is the natural language of childhood—but not all play is therapeutic. In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores the subtle yet profound difference between everyday play and therapeutic play. Through real examples and...
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What Is Non-Directive Play Therapy
Episode 10 – What Is Non-Directive Play Therapy? What if play isn't just something children do—but a language they use to speak the truths they can't yet say? In this episode of Holding Space, Julia explores the world of non-directive play therapy—a gentle, respectful approach that trusts a…
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The Power of "I Feel" in Building Trust & Calm
Episode 9 – The Power of "I Feel" Statements Two small words—"I feel"—can transform the way we connect with ourselves and with others. Instead of blaming or accusing ("You never listen!" "You always do this!"), "I feel" statements anchor us in our own experience and invite connection rather than...
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A Vulnerable Check In & What's Ahead
Episode 8 – A Vulnerable Check In & What's Ahead In this episode of Holding Space, Julia pauses to share more of her own story—the decades she has spent creating safe spaces in residential homes, shelters, schools, and therapy rooms, and the personal journey that brought her here. Along the way,...
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The Feelings Wheel
Episode 7 – The Feelings Wheel What's really underneath when we say, "I feel bad" or "I'm upset"? Too often, we stop at vague words that don't fully capture what's alive inside us. The Feelings Wheel is a simple but powerful tool that helps us get more specific—moving from "mad" to "frustrated,"...
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Why We Shut Down When Emotions Aren't Welcomed
Episode 6 – Why We Shut Down When Emotions Aren't Welcomed What happens when our nervous system decides it isn't safe to feel? For many of us, the response is to shut down—going quiet, disconnecting, or numbing out. This isn't weakness; it's a survival strategy our bodies learned, often long…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Holding Space is about showing up authentically and creating safety in the moments that matter most. From parenting littles to navigating friendships and partnerships, Julia Clark—psychotherapist and play therapist—reframes tantrums, conflicts, and messy feelings as invitations to connect. Each episode explores the building blocks of emotional literacy, co-regulation, and boundaries, while honouring the intergenerational stories we carry within. Blending science with lived wisdom, Holding Space reminds us that growth is playful, healing is possible, and we are all learning together.
HOSTED BY
Julia Clark
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Holding Space with Julia have?
Holding Space with Julia currently has 55 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Holding Space with Julia about?
Holding Space is about showing up authentically and creating safety in the moments that matter most. From parenting littles to navigating friendships and partnerships, Julia Clark—psychotherapist and play therapist—reframes tantrums, conflicts, and messy feelings as invitations to connect. Each...
How often does Holding Space with Julia release new episodes?
Holding Space with Julia has 55 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Holding Space with Julia?
You can listen to Holding Space with Julia on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Holding Space with Julia?
Holding Space with Julia is created and hosted by Julia Clark.
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