What are grounding tools and how do I use them? They can help you exit an unwanted flashback, decrease anxiety, escape the impulse to engage in addictive behavior, to settle down from overwhelming emotion, or get reconnected to your body. They are also helpful for sexual trauma triggers, emotional numbness, panic attacks, self-harm, and disordered eating. A grounding tool is anything you do to get reconnected to the present moment, your body, or your surroundings.
Here are 3 examples that you can try out:
Paced Breathing
Breathe in…2…3…4 (through the nose)
Breath out…2…3…4 (through the mouth)
Breathe in…2…3…4 (through the nose)
Breath out…2…3…4 (through the mouth)
Breathe in…2…3…4 (through the nose)
Breath out…2…3…4 (through the mouth)
Repeat this simple breathing until you feel a shift in your internal state towards calmness and a sense of control.
When to use this skill?
Paced breathing exercises are a powerful and effective way to directly influence and calm your nervous system when you are anxious, hyperventilating, or emotionally overloaded or “flooded”. They are also a helpful mental “pause” for moments when you might feel the impulse to act out an addictive behavior. Paced breathing can ground you in the present, slow down your decision making, and give your brain a chance to choose something different. If you have experienced trauma, you may use paced breathing to calm your nervous systems when triggered, reconnect with your body, and shift the focus of your mind out of the memory and back into the here and now.
5 4 3 2 1
Name 5 things you see.
Name 4 things you hear.
Name 3 things you physically feel.
Name 2 things you smell.
Name 1 thing you taste.
Stay with your senses until you feel a shift in your internal state towards calmness, a sense of control, and reconnection to the present and your body.
5 4 3 2 1 can be useful for those of us that tend to “check out” when something triggering or sensitive is coming up in a conversation, in a therapy session, on TV, or anywhere. You might experience it as going into a “fog”, leaving your body, leaving the room, or detaching from the situation, to name a few examples.
Simply Sitting (or Standing)
Sit comfortably in a chair. (Stand in a relaxed but alert posture.)
Plant your feet on the ground.
Feel the bottoms of your feet on the ground.
Feel the support of the chair against your bottom and your back. (Feel the support of the ground against your feet.)
Turn your palms upward resting on your thighs (turn your palms forward resting at your sides).
Feel the weight of your palms resting in that posture.
Tune in to the natural rhythm of your breath.
Feel the rise & fall of your chest & belly.
Feel how the surface of your skin makes contact with your clothes.
Stay until you feel a shift in your internal state towards calmness & a sense of control.
This centering exercise can be helpful when you notice the first signs of anxiety – a slightly elevated heart rate, cluttered or disorganized thoughts, sweating, nervousness, inability to focus, or worry. When you begin to feel these sensations, stop what you are doing (if possible) and take a moment to engage fully with this exercise. Then, return to what you needed to do.
This exercise can also help you “come back” to the here and now for those of us that tend to “check out” or emotionally / mentally detach sometimes. It can help you reset, re-engage, and refocus. Take the moments of this exercise to tune back in to where you are, how you’re doing, and what you want to accomplish.
Settling Hug*
Sit comfortably in a chair.
Plant your feet on the ground.
Feel the bottoms of your feet on the ground.
Feel the support of the chair against your bottom and your back. Gently rest your right hand on your left ribs.
Rest your left hand on your right upper arm.
Tune in to your breath.
Feel the sensation inside. Feel the settling.
Feel the container of your body.
Stay until you feel a shift in your internal state towards calmness & a sense of control.
This exercise is great for those of us that “check out” of our bodies or feel distant from our bodies. This may include those of us who have experienced violation of our bodies through sexual abuse, neglect, lack of needed touch / affection, or physical violence. Use this tool to remind yourself of the container and the boundaries of your own body. Feel the ownership of your own body. Express kindness, compassion, and gratitude for your body and how it supports you each and every day.
Your therapist should be able to help you learn, practice, & integrate appropriate grounding tools into your daily life to stabilize, strengthen, & support you in your healing journey. If you need support, reach out and give us a call.
*Treating trauma: 2 ways to make clients feel safe w/ Peter Levine. June 2, 2017 https://youtu.be/G7zAseaIyFA