5 Simple Grounding Exercises
What is Grounding?
Grounding is used when our present situations feel overwhelming – sometimes we might lose touch of the present (ourselves, our surroundings, others). Grounding exercises are helpful tools to use in these overwhelming moments to bring us back to the present moment, or the “here and now”.
Grounding techniques can be used in moments of high anxiety, when flashbacks from a traumatic event occur, or when we have racing negative thoughts filling our minds.
Grounding Exercises:
There are many different exercises to help us practice grounding. These can include various breathing techniques and exercises to help us get in touch with all five senses. Check out some ground exercises below!
54321 Technique
Search for 5 things you can see
Search for 4 things you can touch
Search for 3 things you can hear
Search for 2 things you can smell
Search for 1 thing you can taste
More Sensory Techniques
Run your hands through cold water
Take a walk outside, feel the grass on your bare feet and the sun on your skin
Listen to soothing sounds
Box Breathing
Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds – Feel oxygen enter your lungs
Hold your breath for 4 seconds
Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds
Repeat
Other Breathing Exercises
Place a hand on your abdomen and watch it move up and down with each breath
Calm and Headspace are two apps to consider when learning and practicing breathing techniques – these can help to center, calm, and meditate.
READ MORE: Grounding Techniques that Involve Your Children
Here at Atlanta Wellness Collective, we want to help. For support, contact us or schedule an appointment online.
*This blog post was written by Hannah Jordan, MA, LAPC.
Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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