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Worry and stress are slippery things, aren’t they? We can be going along in our day and, all of a sudden, an intrusive thought pops up. And then another, and another, growing and expanding until our bodies start to respond to the perceived threat. Our stomachs are suddenly in knots, our muscles tense, and we are off to the races. Anxiety tricks us into believing we are in danger, even when we are safe in our surroundings. So how do you combat it? How do you rewind and return to equilibrium when our brains and bodies are yelling “DANGER!” at the top of their lungs?
Grounding techniques are quick, unobtrusive, and remarkably effective ways to bring us back to the moment. When we focus on the present, the fire alarms in our brain start to quiet and then we can successfully calm our nervous system.
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Here are our top 5 effective grounding techniques you can use anywhere!
#1: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 technique:
5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. It could be a chair, something on the floor, anything in your surroundings.
4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. It could be your clothes, a seat cushion, or the carpet under your feet.
3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This could be any external sound, like the sounds of cars going by outside or your own breathing.
2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. You can pick things up in your surroundings or smell your hand. Or you can take a brief walk to find a scent you could smell, either inside or outside.
1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. This can be the taste already inside of your mouth or you can pop a small mint or gum in your mouth.
#2: Rainbow:
Before starting this exercise, pay attention to your breathing. Slow, deep, long breaths can help you maintain a sense of calm and help you return to a calmer state. Once you find your breath, go through the following steps to help ground yourself:
- Look around your environment and find/acknowledge something red
- Find/acknowledge something orange
- Find/acknowledge something yellow
- Find/acknowledge something green
- Find/acknowledge something blue
- Find/acknowledge something purple
Check in with your body – if you are still feeling dysregulated, continue with other colors or repeat the cycle.
#3: Grounding chair:
This is a great technique to use if you are already sitting, either at the office or at school.
- Start by becoming aware of how your body feels in the seat, feeling your weight against the chair and any textures around you.
- Visualize your worries/anxiety in your body. Is it a big black blob? Or maybe red flames? Where do you imagine it in your body? Is it in your head? In your chest?
- Now, holding that image in mind, press your feet into the ground. Imagine the pressure causing your anxiety representation to be pulled down your body, into your feet, and then flying out into the floor and away from you.
- Take a few slow breaths and notice the feeling of lightness in your body and you imagine your anxiety having exited your body and leaving you with a sense of peace.
#4: Body scan:
Bring your awareness to your body and imagine something like a copy machine or an x-ray scanning your body.
- Starting from the very top of your head, scan down and notice any areas of tension.
- As you identify areas of muscle tension, focus on releasing that tension and relaxing your muscles in that area.
- You may need to scan two or three times to ensure that all muscle tension has been released.
- Notice your body’s feeling of lightness.
#5: Describe a familiar routine:
Think of an activity you do every day, such as making breakfast, brewing a cup of coffee, driving to work, or getting ready for bed. Choose a routine that is either neutral or brings you joy.
- Go through the process step-by-step in your mind as if you were instructing someone else on how to do it.
- Focus on the small details in each step of the process, what type of mug do you pick out? How do you open the cabinet?
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Grounding techniques allow for us all to feel more in control of our thoughts and emotions, leading to further confidence that we can handle our day-to-day challenges. Try one today!
Kirimi Fuller, Psy.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma, psychological assessment, and play therapy. She provides outpatient therapy services to adults, adolescents, and children, as well as comprehensive psychological testing and clinical supervision at the Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assessment Old Town Alexandria office.
