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Grounding 

What is Grounding? 

Grounding is a set of simple strategies to detach from emotional pain. Distraction works by focusing outwards on the external world- rather than inward toward yourself.  

How does Grounding help Anxiety? 

You are overwhelmed with emotional pain, you need a way to detach from your feelings so that you are able to gain control over them again. When grounding you are able to create a balance between felling too much or too little emotion. 

Guidelines 

  • Can be done anytime and anywhere 

  • Keep your eyes opened, scan the area around you and keep the light turned on, this will help you stay in touch with the present moment 

  • Rate your mood and feelings before and after to see if it helped

  • No talking about negative feelings 

  • Remember to stay focus on the present, not the past or future 

  •  Keep in mind that grounding is active and focuses on distraction strategies, and will help with negative thoughts and feelings 

Types of Grounding 

Mental 

  • Describe the environment around you in detail use all your senses and describe the objects, sounds, textures, colors, smells, shapes, numbers, and temperature that around you. ​

      • Ex: The walls are white, there are 2 blue chairs, across me is a tall wooden bookshelf​ against a wall. It smells like pizza cooking in the oven downstairs and it feels cozy and cool. 

  • Say a safety statement 

    • My name is -----; I am safe now. I am in the present, not the past. I am located in ----- and the date is -------. ​

  • Repeat your favorite saying or personal affirmation

    • Daily affirmations are simple, positive statements declaring specific goals in their completed states.

      • ​Think of a negative thought about yourself, and switch that thought to be positive. 

      • Start with I or my

      • Don’t use negative words

        • ​Example: 

          • ​Negative: I am always a failure 

          • Affirmation: I  aim to be the best that I can be.​

  • Very slowly count or say the alphabet  

Physical 

  • Stretch 

    • Extend your fingers, arms or legs as far as you can​

    • roll your head around in slow circles 

  • Jump up and down 

    • If you are in a place where you are able to ​

  • Carry a grounding object 

    • a small object that you can touch whenever you feel triggered ​

      • Ex: a small rock, clay, a price of cloth ot yarn ​

  •  Touch various objects around you​​

    • Notice the different textures, colors, materials, weight, and temperature 

    • ​Ex: pens, keys, your clothes, the table, the walls ​

Soothing 

  • Remember a safe place

    • Describe a place that you find soothing ​

    • focus on the textures, objects, sounds, shapes, and colors of the place 

    • This could form something a simple as your bedroom, to a day out on the beach

  • Picture people that you care about 

    • Picture your parents ​

    • your significate other

    • your best friends

    • your siblings

    • your grandparents 

  • Think of your favorites 

    • your favorite color, animal, season, food, TV show, etc. ​

What if Grounding doesn't work? 

If grounding doesn't work try

  • to continue grounding for another 30 min

  • practice more often 

  • create other methods that you believe would help you detach from your emotional pain 

If none of these are working, then try to move on to a new way to cope with your anxiety 

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