Introduction to Grounding

Brooke Shoup
Jun 14
3 min read

Stress mode causes the mind search for threats in the environment. This means when you are afraid, your brain will automatically hook into more things that could be scary and it will escalate the fear response.

Grounding interrupts that process by shifting the focus away from what is threatening and choosing to focus on things that feel good or neutral. Think of stress like a hot air balloon that keeps taking you up and up. Engaging the senses, can offer you something in the present to "ground" into.

Grounding Best Practices

I always like to give a reminder that regulation is like taking the stairs, not the elevator. We move towards FLOW in small steps through a combination of regulation tools. A reasonable expectation is a 5% improvement per exercise.
We may need to develop new neural pathways for the exercises to become effective, so I recommend trying one exercise consistently for 2-3 weeks before you decide if it is right for you or not.
I like to pair each grounding connection with a safety statement. If I am grounding in the chair, I will say something like "I feel the chair holding my back, arms, and legs. The chair feels stable, the chair feels safe." I notice the safety statements make the exercise more effective because I'm giving the chair a positive meaning.

5 4 3 2 1 Exercise
Name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
Humming Bird Box
Close your eyes, plug your ears, and purse your lips. Create a sensory deprivation box by humming your favorite song.
Counting
1. Counting backwards: Count down from 100 in an interval that makes you think a little bit. 1's, 2's and 5's tend to be easier. 3,6,7 take a little more brain power.
2. Count how many cars you pass while driving (or signs, or stoplights, or people)
3. Count the number of floor tiles in the waiting room at the dentist
4. Guess how many tomatoes are in a pint and count them out
Scavenger Hunt
Look for all of the items in the room of a certain category This game has many applications, I will list options below:
1. Find all of the green items in the room (or any color)
2. Find all of the items that begin with the letter A (or any letter)
3. Items down the alphabet. Say I'm in the kitchen, we would look around the room for A- apple, B-banana, C-countertop and so on.
Tactile Exploration
1. Touch a variety of objects in your space and describe them. Are they hot, cold, smooth, bumpy? Are they big, small, heavy, or light? Are they wet or dry?
2. Use widgets, fidgets, or pop its
3. Use your finger to trace up and down your hands. Experiment with different pressures.
4. Color with crayons
5. Play with sand, slime, play dough, or goo
Fast and Slow
Go about your normal business practicing normal tasks but experiment doing them a fast, slow, and medium speeds. Pay attention to which speed feels good to your body. Works best for repetitive tasks.
1. Walking down the stairs
2. Folding laundry
3. Washing dishes
4. Chopping vegetables
Play an Instrument
Play an instrument, any instrument, any speed with no agenda. Just play notes or tap a rhythm. Pay attention to the sounds and how they affect you.
Safety in Sturdy Objects
Pick something in the room that feels sturdy to you. The wall, the couch, the floor and press into that object. While you press into the object, notice its strength and ability to hold your weight.
1. Lay on the ground
2. Stand on the ground and scrunch your toes
3. Do push ups against the wall
4. Sit or lay on the couch
Orienting
Look around the room for objects that remind you of something good.
Examples from my kitchen:
1. Picture of a wedding reminds me of people I love
2. My favorite coffee cup feels comforting
3. A magnetic knife rack I was proud of hanging
4. Meal planning whiteboard offers safety from routine
5. Dog's toy basket reminds me of the joy in watching him play