It is an experiential method created by the Czech psychologist and psychotherapist Jirina Prekop.  The method was developed further by her students, one of which is Mary Zapiti, who has also founded and is running the only holding Therapy Institute in Greece for therapy, as well as training.

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The application of Holding Therapy aims for the harmonisation of relations in situations where, due to communications difficulty between the involving persons, dialog is no longer productive, when communication is impossible (for example due to distance or death),  as well as for the healing of psychological trauma which has been verified or thought possible to have occurred to a person during their time in the womb as an embryo or at the time of their birth. Holding Therapy is especially suggested in situations where:

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• There is intense confrontation between parents, or one of them, and their offspring or emotional alienation of the child from its parents or one of them. In these cases Holding Therapy is applied even when the children are adults or even when the said parent is no longer alive.

• There is intense confrontation or emotional alienation between partners.

• The emotional bond between a mother and a child was violently interrupted due to premature birth,  intensive care,  or separation of infant from its mother for medical reasons, such as a cesarean birth and subsequent time in incubator.

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The  therapeutic potential of Holding (or commonly "hugging")  has been validated scientifically in studies performed by renown universities and organisations.  It has been proven that holding has the power to relax us, to remove tension and to help us sleep better because it reduces drastically the levels of cortisol - the stress hormone-  in the blood. Furthermore, it helps  increase the release of Oxyctocin - the love hormone-  while reducing the cardiac rhythm, resulting to the creation of a sense of security and calm. Especially for an infant, holding is not just to instil a sense of security but also a vital need for its survival and smooth development.

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"Hugs maybe soundless but they speak very loudly" - Carol Miller.