The word grounding gets thrown around a lot in the therapy world. I use it a lot with clients, but rarely is it explained. During all the change we have been surrounded with, both individually and collectively, I thought it was about time I shared some of my favorite grounding techniques and gave a little background to the term.
Grounding is also known as earthing. In ecotherapy, this technique is a common way to connect to the earth and drop into its natural healing energy. It is comprised of any exercise or activity that can reconnect you with the earth while evoking feelings of calmness and centeredness.
These exercises can be of great assistance during moments of anxiety, traumatic memories/experiences, disassociation, urges to use substances, and moments of overwhelm. When we are in a state of stress, fear, and trauma activation, we cannot connect to our rational thought or sense of ease. It is all about survival at that point. We need grounding to bring us back into the present moment.
Grounding is about connection and being present, not escaping and distraction. Try not to place judgment about how you feel when grounding. Just be with what is in the room. Be curious and stay with it.
While relaxation can be an effect of grounding exercises, relaxation and grounding are different. Grounding is an intentional act where you remain conscious and present in the moment. It’s about connection. It is not used to escape, dissociate, or leave your present sensations. It all about being here now…
Here are fifteen of my favorite exercises that are accessible and easy to do.
During a moment of panic-y feelings it’s important to bring your awareness out of your head and into the present moment.
Exercise #1:
Connect with your surroundings
An easy go-to in these moments is to look around you and notice 5 things you can see, speaking them out loud is helpful. Then notice 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch or feel, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. If the taste one is difficult, think of one thing you are grateful for in the moment.
Exercise #2:
Connect with the Earth, literally
Go outside to somewhere that is safe to be in nature like a park, open space, beach, river, or lakeshore for example. Remove your shoes and socks and place your bare feet on the earth noticing the shifts in sensations in your body. Breathe deeply noticing the sensations in your body and feeling the earth as a part of you.
Exercise #3:
Connect with your breath
Breathe deeply. Notice where you feel the breath as it enters your body and follow the breath as it fills your lungs, chest, and belly. There are many breathing techniques that can be super helpful to achieve specific effects, but one that I teach often to clients is box breathing due to its simplicity and effectiveness during anxious moments. Box breathing is an exercise where you count four seconds in, hold the breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, and hold empty for 4 seconds. Repeat this sequence ideally for 4 minutes or until a state of calm returns.
Exercise #4:
Connect with imagery
Allow yourself to let go and be guided into relaxation and a deeper connection within yourself and your surroundings. Guided imagery and meditations, especially meditations that involve scanning your body and connecting with nature are a great tool. You can find some meditations here.
Exercise #5:
Connect to the sense of smell
Choose scents you like or ones that influence calm sensations. An example of this is essential oils, teas, herbs, or flowers. Stepping outside and connecting to the scent of pine trees, or earth, or grass all can be so effective in shifting your experience.
Exercise #6:
Connect with temperature sensations
This exercise can be especially helpful during moments of disassociation, panic, and extreme anxiety. It is a quick way to reconnect to the present moment. Hold an ice cube in your hands. The sharp sensations of ice can snap you out of moments when we start to spiral in our heads and bring us back into the present moment.
Exercise #7:
Connect with the element of water
Run your hands or face under warm or cold water. Bonus if you have access to a stream or river that is safely accessible. Water is a great way to focus on the sensations of our body and can pull us from the depths of our minds into the present moment. Even drinking water and feeling its sensation as we ingest it can be helpful. Water’s soothing qualities connect us deeply with our senses as we pay attention to this element’s sounds, sensations, temperature, flow, feeling of weightlessness, resistance, rhythm, and peaceful harmony.
Exercise #8:
Connect with a nature object
Holding a being from nature such as a rock, feather, handful of earth, sand or leaf, can be a great way to exchange energy and feel a sense of ease. We can notice the tactile sensations in our hands as we hold it, and can even mentally transfer our overwhelming energy into that object.
Exercise #9:
Connect with movement
Move your body! Practice dynamic movement and releasing energy through the action of exercise, stretching, walking, or even shaking out our limbs can be extremely beneficial when we feel overwhelmed with unprocessed memories or difficult thoughts. It allows energy to move throughout the body and release.
Exercise #10:
Connect with each muscle
This exercise is called progressive muscle relaxation. To begin, tighten and clench your hands and arms, squeezing as tightly as possible and hold for at least 6 seconds. Notice the sensations as you do this. Then release and exhale. Repeat. Do this in every major muscle group of your body from your head to your toes. By holding and releasing the muscles we are able to allow the energy to move and release tension in the places we are holding our anxiety, tension, or trauma.
Exercise #11:
Connect with weight and texture
If you have a weighted blanket these can be so helpful in easing stress. Wrap yourself up in the blanket feeling held and supported in the sensation of weight. Even heavy covers or multiple blankets can feel grounding in moments of anxiety.
Exercise #12:
Connect with bilateral movement
Bilateral movement, such as tapping or walking, can assist in processing memories and increasing connection to our bodies. Cross your arms across your chest as if you are making the letter “X,” also known as a butterfly hug. Begin to tap your shoulders with the opposite hand to opposite shoulder going back and forth while keeping your eyes open to stay present. This can be a soothing way to regulate ourselves by integrating our right and left hemispheres of the brain. Walking also provides bilateral stimulation as each foot hits the ground back and forth.
Exercise #13:
Connecting with pet
A pet such as a cat, dog, horse, rabbit, or other creature helps us to regulate through being present with us and offering comfort and soothing. Such a lovely way to reduce stress.
Exercise #14:
Connect with nourishment
Mindful eating is a great way to ground yourself. As you eat, slow way down noticing the sights, smells, textures, colors, tastes, and sounds of the food. Notice your body’s reaction to eating. How do you know when you are ready to swallow? What is happing in your mouth as you smell the food? What is the taste and texture of the food as you hold it in your mouth? Mindful eating is a great way to become aware of our internal sensations and allow the comfort of nourishment to soothe us.
Exercise #15:
Connect with maternal nature
Talk to yourself as if you were a child. It invokes self-compassion and allows a new perspective on the situation. Tell yourself “I know you are having a rough time right now, but it will pass.” “you are strong” “you will get through this”. Even using mantras such as “breathe”, “it’s okay”, “I love you”, ect. can make a marked difference in our nervous system and shift our experience. Soothing yourself as if you would a child gets to the core of some of the attachment wounds that may be triggered in the moment. Self-love is so necessary during these times of struggle.
Practice is key with these grounding exercises. Do them often and do them early on, preferably before the symptoms have become overwhelming. As you begin to pay attention to the sensations in your body and surroundings it will be easier to notice when you are getting triggered or when the symptoms of overwhelm are just beginning and you will be able to put these exercises into action prior to losing control.
Frequently check in with yourself rating your feelings from 0-10. When you notice you are beginning to climb the scale of emotion, it’s time to implement some grounding ASAP. Keeping your eyes open throughout all of these activities helps to reduce the risk of disassociation and keeps you in the present moment.
For more tips on how to ground yourself reach out to WildSense Therapy.