---
title: Psychotherapy and Recovery Work
description: Stories and discussions about the process and experience of eating disorder recovery treatment.
canonical_url: https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/blog/psychotherapy-and-recovery-work/page-21
language: en-GB
date: 2012-09-11T05:13:52Z
notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/blog/psychotherapy-and-recovery-work/page-21.
markdown-tokens: 342
---

> **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/blog/psychotherapy-and-recovery-work/page-21. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content.
> **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above.


## ![emotional holding and physical holding](https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/images/holding_strengthunsplash.jpg)

 Emotional Holding and Inner Strength

## **Depth Psychotherapy: Understanding Emotional Holding**

In the realm of depth psychotherapy, the emotional holding often leads us to necessary discomfort. This may sound counterintuitive—especially in a culture obsessed with quick relief and emotional "fixes." *Nevertheless*, if we hope to truly recover from eating disorders, trauma, or long-standing emotional pain, we need to understand a crucial distinction: the difference between **comfort** and **holding**.

Both have value. *However*, each serves different purposes—and only one supports lasting transformation.