Grounding

We have talked earlier about flashbacks and dissociating. There are skills that can help when you find yourself in a flashback or dissociating. One of these skills is referred to as Grounding.  The goal of grounding is to help reconnect you to the present -to orient you to the here and now and to connect you to your own body and the current moment.

Like Self Soothing -grounding requires the use of your five senses (sound, touch, smell, taste and sight) By focusing on these five senses you can bring your attention back to the present moment. 

Sensory Grounding ideas:

• Sound: turn on loud music or music you know the words to and you can sing along. Call a friend and talk about the present -maybe something you have done together recently. Listen to the sounds around you -try to identify what each sound is.

• Touch: Grip a piece of ice. The extreme coldness can force you to stay in the present. Spritz you face with fine water mister. Put your feet firmly on the ground. Rub your hands, clap your hands, hold something you find comforting-feel a soft blanket and notice how it feels in your hands. Cary something tangible in your pocket that reminds you of the present. Step outside and feel the temperature- feel the the warmth of the sun or the brisk air. Feel the wind on your skin.
  
  
• Smell: Sniff some strong peppermint. light a scented candle. Smell an peace of fruit or a flower.
  
  
• Taste: Bite into a lemon. Mindfully eat something that gives you pleasure. Focus on the texture and the taste.
  
  
• Sight: list everything around you ...what colors do you see, count the number of items in the room.

Cognitive Grounding skills: 

• ask yourself Where am I ? What is today? What is the date? How old am I? What season is it?
• Remind yourself that the memory was then and it was over. 

54321 game

• Name 5 things you can see in the room with you.
• Name 4 things you can feel (“chair on my back” or “feet on floor”)
• Name 3 things you can hear right now (“fingers tapping on keyboard” or “tv”)
• Name 2 things you can smell right now (or, 2 things you like the smell of)
• Name 1 good thing about yourself."

What are some things that have helped you feel grounded? What do you do if you have tried all of these and more and you are still struggling to stay in the present?