Grounding Techniques: 33 Ways to Calm Yourself

 “Hello there! I’m here to provide you with a bit of information on grounding techniques and how they can help you as a survivor or a bystander of any violation or sexual and gender-based violence. I would like to remind you that suggestions on this post should not be taken as medical advice, therapy, or as a one-size-fits-all approach.  Keep in mind that every individual’s journey of navigating through trauma and supporting an individual who is undergoing trauma is distinctive because you are one of a kind and no person is truly like you!  Experiencing abuse in any form is NOT OKAY, but what you are experiencing as a result of abuse is valid. 

Please know that healing is not a formula and is not for anyone else to define for you. You do you, and you follow all that you need to follow, to help yourself.

If you need additional resources or just someone to talk to, feel free to reach out to The Neeti Project."

What Does Grounding Technique Mean? 

Take a guess! The definition is present in the phrase.  Grounding is synonymous with the word 'ground' - the solid surface of the earth. Scientifically speaking, the earth exudes electrical charges.  Connecting your senses, body, and relation with other human beings to the earth and its electrical charges can lead to positive outcomes on your body and mind. 

Who are Grounding Techniques for ? 

• They are for anyone who is experiencing an immediate moment of stress or is confronting a general stressful period in their life.
• For survivors 
• For bystanders of any violation or sexual and gender-based violence

When Can You Engage in Grounding Techniques? 

• When you are experiencing negative thoughts
• When you are stressed
• When you are anxious
• When you are experiencing a panic attack
• When you are experiencing flashbacks of traumatic events 
• Literally anytime! Even when you're not experiencing a negative or distressing state of mind and bodily sensations

How Do Grounding Techniques Work? 

• Grounding techniques are a more healthy way of distracting yourself using your five senses - seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching. 
• The more you engage in grounding techniques every time you experience a negative sensation or state of mind (like stress, palpitations, difficulty breathing, anxiety, flashbacks etc.), the more likely you are to get conditioned to grounding techniques during a stressful period. This means that after a while, your body will automatically engage in a grounding technique/s whenever you are experiencing a distressing thought, feeling, or sensation. 
• How can you condition yourself to grounding techniques? 
• Practice grounding even when you aren’t dissociating or experiencing distress. If you get used to an exercise before you need to use it, it may take less effort when you want to use it to cope in the moment.
• Try doing a grounding exercise when you first start to feel bad. Don’t wait for distress to reach a level that’s harder to handle. If the technique doesn’t work at first, try to stick with it for a bit before moving on to another.
• Concentrate on the basics of your surroundings, rather than how you feel about them.
• Before and after a grounding exercise, rate your distress as a number between 1 and 10. What level is your distress when you begin? How much did it decrease after the exercise? This can help you get a better idea of whether a particular technique is working for you. 
• Avoid closing your eyes, since it’s often easier to remain connected to the present if you’re looking at your current environment. 

What are Some of the Grounding Techniques? 

1. Put your hands in water. Focus on the water’s temperature and how it feels on your fingertips, palms, and the backs of your hands. Does it feel the same in each part of your hand? Use warm water first, then cold. Next, try cold water first, then warm. Does it feel different to switch from cold to warm water versus warm to cold?

2. Pick up or touch items near you. Are the things you touch soft or hard? Heavy or light? Warm or cool? Focus on the texture and color of each item. Challenge yourself to think of specific colors, such as crimson, burgundy, indigo, or turquoise, instead of simply red or blue.

3. Hold a piece of ice. What does it feel like at first? How long does it take to start melting? How does the sensation change when the ice begins to melt?

4. Touch something comforting. This could be your favorite blanket, a much-loved T-shirt, a smooth stone, a soft carpet, or anything that feels good to touch. Think about how it feels under your fingers or in your hand. If you have a favorite sweater, scarf, or pair of socks, put them on and spend a moment thinking about the sensation of the fabric on your skin.

5. Hug your favorite stuffed toy or pillow, or wrap yourself in soft blanket. Hugging yourself tightly can work too!

6. Listen to your surroundings. Take a few moments to listen to the noises around you. Do you hear birds? Dogs barking? Machinery or traffic? If you hear people talking, what are they saying? Do you recognize the language? Let the sounds wash over you and remind you where you are.

7. Savor a scent. Is there a fragrance that appeals to you? This might be a cup of tea, an herb or spice, a favorite soap, or a scented candle. Inhale the fragrance slowly and deeply and try to note its qualities (sweet, spicy, sharp, citrusy, and so on).

8. Savor a food or drink. Take small bites or sips of a food or beverage you enjoy, allowing yourself fully taste each bite. Think about how it tastes and smells and the flavors that linger on your tongue.

9. Slowly gulp down water. Notice the taste of the water as you gulp it. Is it hot or cold? How does it feel against your tongue and throat? 

10. Describe what’s around you. Spend a few minutes taking in your surroundings and noting what you see. Use all five senses to provide as much detail as possible. “This bench is red, but the bench over there is green. It’s warm under my jeans since I’m sitting in the sun. It feels rough, but there aren’t any splinters. The grass is yellow and dry. The air smells like smoke. I hear kids having fun and two dogs barking.”

11. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Working backward from 5, use your senses to list things you notice around you. For example, you might start by listing five things you hear, then four things you see, then three things you can touch from where you’re sitting, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Make an effort to notice the little things you might not always pay attention to, such as the color of the flecks in the carpet or the hum of your computer.

12. Breathe deeply. Slowly inhale, then exhale. If it helps, you can say or think “in” and “out” with each breath. Feel each breath filling your lungs and note how it feels to push it back out.

13. Feel your body. You can do this sitting or standing. Focus on how your body feels from head to toe, noticing each part. Can you feel your hair on your shoulders or forehead? Glasses on your ears or nose? The weight of your shirt on your shoulders? Do your arms feel loose or stiff at your sides? Can you feel your heartbeat? Is it rapid or steady? Does your stomach feel full, or are you hungry? Are your legs crossed, or are your feet resting on the floor? Is your back straight? Curl your fingers and wiggle your toes. Are you barefoot or in shoes? How does the floor feel against your feet?

14. Take a short walk. Concentrate on your steps. You can even count them. Notice the rhythm of your footsteps and how it feels to put your foot on the ground and then lift it again.

15.  Move your body. Do a few exercises or stretches. You could try jumping jacks, jumping up and down, jumping rope, jogging in place, or stretching different muscle groups one by one. Pay attention to how your body feels with each movement and when your hands or feet touch the floor or move through the air. How does the floor feel against your feet and hands? If you jump rope, listen to the sound of the rope in the air and when it hits the ground.

16. Picture the voice or face of someone you love. If you feel upset or distressed, visualize someone positive in your life. Imagine their face or think of what their voice sounds like. Imagine them telling you that the moment is tough, but that you’ll get through it.

17. If you’re at home and have a pet, spend a few moments just sitting with them. If they’re of the furry variety, pet them, focusing on how their fur feels. Focus on their markings or unique characteristics. If you have a smaller pet you can hold, concentrate on how they feel in your hand. Not at home? Think of your favorite things about your pet or how they would comfort you if they were there.

18. Plan an activity. This might be something you do alone or with a friend or loved one. Think of what you’ll do and when. Maybe you’ll go to dinner, take a walk on the beach, see a movie you’ve been looking forward to, or visit a museum. Focus on the details, such as what you’ll wear, when you’ll go, and how you’ll get there.

19. Recite something. Think of a poem, song, or book passage you know by heart. Recite it quietly to yourself or in your head. If you say the words aloud, focus on the shape of each word on your lips and in your mouth. If you say the words in your head, visualize each word as you’d see it on a page.

20. Listen to music. Put on your favorite song, but pretend you’re listening to it for the first time. Focus on the melody and lyrics (if there are any). Does the song give you chills or create any other physical sensations? Pay attention to the parts that stand out most to you. I sometimes just love randomly swaying or jumping to the tunes. You can try this too!

21. Make yourself laugh. Make up a silly joke. You might also make yourself laugh by watching your favorite funny animal video, a clip from a comedian or TV show you enjoy, or anything else you know will make you laugh.

22. Play a memory game. Look at a detailed photograph or picture (like a cityscape or other “busy” scene) for 5 to 10 seconds. Then, turn the photograph face-down and recreate the photograph in your mind, in as much detail as possible. Or, you can mentally list all the things you remember from the picture.

23. Think in categories. Choose one or two broad categories, such as “musical instruments,” “ice cream flavors,” “mammals,” or “cricket teams.” Take a minute or two to mentally list as many things from each category as you can.

24. Use math and numbers. Even if you aren’t a math person, numbers can help center you. Try running through a times table in your head, counting backward from 100, choosing a number and thinking of five ways you could make the number (6 + 11 = 17, 20 – 3 = 17, 8 × 2 + 1 = 17, etc.). 

25. Use an anchoring phrase. This might be something like, “I’m (Full Name). I’m X years old. I live in (City, State). Today is (date). It’s (time) in the morning. I’m sitting at my desk at work. There’s no one else in the room.” You can expand on the phrase by adding details until you feel calm, such as, “It’s raining lightly, but I can still see the sun. It’s my break time. I’m thirsty, so I’m going to make a cup of tea.”

26. Describe a common task. Think of an activity you do often or can do very well, such as making coffee, locking up your office, or tuning a guitar. Go through the process step-by- step, as if you’re giving someone else instructions on how to do it.

27. List favorites.  List three favorite things in several different categories, such as foods, trees, songs, movies, books, places, and so on.

28. Imagine yourself leaving the painful feelings behind. Picture yourself gathering the emotions, balling them up, and putting them into a box. Or imagine walking, swimming, biking, or jogging away from painful feelings. Or imagine your thoughts as a song or TV show you dislike, changing the channel or turning down the volume — they’re still there, but you don’t have to listen to them. 

29. Visualize your favorite place. Think of your favorite place, whether it’s the home of a loved one or a foreign country. Use all of your senses to create a mental image. Think of the colors you see, sounds you hear, and sensations you feel on your skin. Remember the last time you were there. Who were you with, if anyone? What did you do there? How did you feel?

30. Visualize a daily task you enjoy or don’t mind doing. If you like doing laundry, for example, think about how you’d put away a finished load. “The clothes feel warm coming out of the dryer. They’re soft and a little stiff at the same time. They feel light in the basket, even though they spill over the top. I’m spreading them out over the bed so they won’t wrinkle. I’m folding the towels first, shaking them out before folding them into halves, then thirds,” and so on.

31. Repeat kind, compassionate phrases to yourself. Say it, either aloud or in your head, as many times as you need. 

• “You’re having a rough time, but you’ll make it through.” 
• “You’re strong, and you can move through this pain.” 
• “You’re trying hard, and you’re doing your best.”

32. List positive things. Write or mentally list four or five things in your life that bring you joy, visualizing each of them briefly.

33. Sleep it off if nothing works. I've heard some people say this isn't a great idea because you need to be able to consciously overcome your state of stress. However, this isn't necessarily true! Sometimes, you can feel much better once you wake up from a nap.