Master List - Grounding Resources/Techniques
When in a rabbithole from dissociative, de-realizing, disembodying spirituality
Getting grounded involves a process of re’s - re-association, re-orientation, re-realization, re-personalization, re-materialization, and grounding practices, techniques, resources are the most foundational element. Grounding practices eventually help us revive our personal me-ness, and experience ourselves a real, separate parts of the world again, in a real world, re-connecting us with the tangible, the material, engaging all of our senses, as well as re-associating us with our own individual tangibility, embodiment, physical boundaries/containment. They help call us back into our bodies, calm our spinning-out thoughts, anxiety and take us back to the earthy, the sensual. touching and being touched by it! To feel tangible, locatable, able to touch and be touched. Our grounding process brings back to life and re-connects entire dimensions of our humanity - first and foremost our physicality/body/sensuality - that we have abandoned, let atrophy/fade away, become dis-connected from, etc. It’s the road to reviving our souls, feeling fully human again, able to feel, appreciate, savor and be touched by all of life’s precious richness.
The goal of the below grounding techniques is to support a process of literal re-association on a sensory, bodily level, incorporating all of our 5 senses. That said, the second half of my grounding support work which involves philosophical exploration to de-construct dissociative metaphysical belief systems and consciously re-construct more grounded ones, is symbiotic with the sensory techniques, together creating holistic mind-body grounding.
*I don’t make any money from the Amazon items that I include here as examples
Basic grounding intervention - rule of 5
Identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch/ sensations you can feel in your body, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
Mental Distraction Techniques
Pick a category of objects and try to think of as many objects as possible that fit within that category (e.g., types of dogs, cities, types of trees, crayon colors, sports)
Pick a letter and think of emotionally positive or neutral words that begin with that letter
Count down in your head from 100 to 0
Count backwards from 100 by 3s, 6s, or 7s or count up by prime numbers or perfect squares
Think of the words to your favorite song or poem or think of facts related to a specific theme
Pick a word or your name and see how many other words you can make from the letters in it
Describe an every day event or process in great detail, listing all of the steps in order and as thoroughly as possible (e.g., how to cook a meal, how to get from your house to your place of work or school, how to do your favorite dance)
Read something technical or meant for children or read words backwards to focus on the process of reading and not the words
Pick up a book and read the first paragraph out loud
Watch a children's show or movie or watch cute or funny videos on Youtube, make playlists - for example Animal & Nature videos on YT.
Look at a current news article that is not likely to be upsetting or distressing
Distract yourself with Tetris, Solitaire, Sudoku, word searches, or other puzzle games
Write whatever comes to mind even if it's nonsense. Try not to write about whatever is upsetting you until you're more capable of doing so without increasing the upset
Reorientation Techniques
Name five things that you see, four that you feel, three that you hear, and two that you smell or taste, and then name one good thing that you like about yourself
Say or think to yourself: "My name is _________. I am safe right now. I am _____ years old. I am currently at _____________. The date is _____________. If I need help, I am with ________/can call _________. Everything is going to be alright."
Ask yourself where you are, what day of the week it is, what day of the month it is, what month it is, what year it is, what season it is, how old you are, and other present-focused questions
Describe your surroundings in detail, including sights (objects, textures, shapes, colors), sounds, smells, and temperature
Pick four or five brightly colored objects that are easily visible and move your focus between them. Be sure to vary the order of your gaze and concentrate briefly on each one before moving to the next
Think about a fun time that you recently had with a friend or call that friend and ask them to talk about it with you
Hum or sing
Sensory-Based Grounding Techniques
Visual
Pick a color and look around your room or area and find as many things of that color as you can. Notice differences in their exact shades
Scan for shapes. See how many square, round, or oval items you can find. Count or categorize them
Bring nature into your home in place you often look - rocks, crystals, plants, table-top water fountains, etc.
Color in an adult coloring book
Touch/Tactile
Hold, rub rough, smooth, or heavy rock/stone (keep one in pocket)
Touch and hold objects around you. Compare the feel, weight, temperature, textures, colors, and materials
Massage your temples, shoulders, hands
Personal massage devices (i.e. neck/shoulders, heated foot massager, scalp, back scratcher)
Fidget toys, push poppers, stress balls, other sensory toys
Rub icy hot on your skin, tiger balm, heat balms, heat patches, etc.
Hold an ice cube
Place a cool wash cloth on your face or hold something cold like a can of soda
Take a hot or cold shower
Run cool or warm water over your hands
Spritz your face (with eyes closed), neck, arms, and hands with a fine water mist
Spray yourself with your favorite perfume and focus on the scent
Touch and hold objects around you. Compare the feel, weight, temperature, textures, colors, and materials
Carry a small portable fan (can wear one around your neck)
Keep a small object with you to touch or play with when you get triggered. Good examples include a smooth or rough stones (keep small one in pocket or purse), a fidget toy, stress ball or a tiny plushy
Eat something or drink warm tea and describe to yourself the taste and texture in great detail
Hum, sing, recite poetry, or make up a silly poem or story as you go
Pick up a book and read the first paragraph out loud
Hug another person (if appropriate)
Touch and/or hug a tree
Get a professional massage or other kinds of bodywork
Pop bubble wrap
Dig in the dirt or garden, walk barefoot in the grass or sand
Rip up paper or stomp on aluminum cans to crush them
Grab tightly onto your chair or press your feet against the ground as firmly as you can
Clap your hips, knees, thighs with an open palm or fists…you can try doing it firmly, but make sure you’re not hurting yourself
Shake out your hands vigorously
Snap
Rub your palms and clap your hands or wiggle your toes in your socks.
Clap each of your arms with the opposite hand from wrist to shoulders
Vicarious Massage - might seem weird, but watching other people get massaged & imagining how it feels, with the help of our mirror neurons, can actually soothe us.
Taste
Strong mints (i.e. altoids, listerine mint strips, mint or spicy big red gum)
Sour candy (i.e warheads, sour patch kids, extra sours, etc.) ginger chews
Crunchy and/or spicy snacks (wasabi peas, etc.)
Strong and/or soothing teas (i.e. decaf chai, camomile) - describe to yourself the taste and texture in great detail
Bite into a lemon, orange, or lime
Put a few drops of Tabasco sauce on your tongue (if you know you can tolerate it!))
Suck on an ice cube
Cold drinks, popsicles, ice cream - the coldness is the key
Scent/Smell
Essential oils to smell, or rub on skin
Fabric sprays for your bed sheets, pillow case, clothes, et.
Strong spices like cinnamon, cloves
Scented candles, another link (try strong scents/scents you love & find comforting or familiar) + include a lighter
Get strong or comforting smelling soaps and shampoos
Sound
Create go-to playlists of grounding music for yourself in Spotify or Youtube - here’s 3 of mine:
Snap close to your ears, clap your hands, sing or hum a song that you love
Indoor tabletop ceramic/stone water fountains
Soothing Sound machine (sound therapy devices) in your bedroom, office, or other rooms of your home
Movement-Based Grounding Techniques
Breathe deeply and slowly and count your breaths
Stretching
Stretching even releases endorphins, dopamine and serotonin (Learn the science behind the benefits of stretching) and try out this guided stretching Youtube playlist I created.
Grab tightly onto your chair or press your feet against the ground as firmly as you can
Clap your hips, knees, thighs with an open palm or fists…you can try doing it firmly, but make sure you’re not hurting yourself
Shake out your hands vigorously
Clap each of your arms with the opposite hand from wrist to shoulders
Rub your palms and clap your hands or wiggle your toes within your socks. Pay attention to the physical sensation of doing so.
Stretch out your arms or legs (let yourself take up space), roll your head on your neck, or clench and unclench your fists
Stomp your feet, run, jump, do jumping jacks, non-triggering yoga/pilates
If you have a soft pet (dog or cat), brush its fur and stroke it. If you don't, brush your own hair slowly and without pulling too much
Color in an adult coloring book, finger paint, splatter paint, push poppers, or draw anything that comes to mind without worrying about quality
Pop bubble wrap
Dig in the dirt or garden, walk barefoot in the grass or sand
Rip up paper or stomp on aluminum cans to crush them
Dance - no experience needed!
These have been powerful resources that both help ground me and express my emotions in a releasing way, and heal hypo-arousal, inertia, stultification resulting from self-negating spirituality. They’re an amazing way to connect to our bodies, imagination, physical sensations, sense of power, and enjoyment of the pleasure of movement in a welcoming, accepting atmosphere.
Gaga/People daily online classes
Turn on music and dance to it, wherever you are!
Imagery Techniques
Picture yourself breathing in relaxation, calm, positive feelings, or strength.
If the problem is intense or uncomfortable emotions, physical sensations, or memories, picture them being surrounded and neutralized by a bright and healing light, temporarily placed in a mental box to be stored for later, or dialed back by an internal controller of intensity
If you have a clear mental picture of what's upsetting you, mentally change it to something silly or harmless.
Picture yourself calm, focused, and able to tackle whatever problems you're facing. Focus on how that would feel in the moment. What would your expression and posture be like? Make whatever changes you need to in order to make your reality reflect your goal
Grounding Youtube Video Playlists
Make your own or start with mine linked below :)
Funny videos
Everyday heros/Random acts of altruism - viscerally heart-opening, optimism-inspiring, humanity-redeeming
Neutral series like Unwrapped and How It’s Made
Vicarious Massage - might seem weird, but watching other people get massaged & imagining how it feels, with the help of our mirror neurons, can actually soothe us.
Make a Grounding Box
Keep something
Get a box or basket
Personalize and decorate it with stickers, drawings, paint, photographs, glitter, sequins, or anything else that you like which makes you feel joyful and comforted
Keep within it…index cards work well for written content
A list of grounding techniques that you know work for you
A list of written grounding/positive/self-compassionate notes to yourself, affirmations and happy or funny memories
Small sensory objects like a smooth or rough stone
A list of the contact information of trusted friends or family who are willing to help and support you
Minty/spicy hard candies or gum, a stuffed animal, or a fidget toy, push poppers, stress balls, happy pictures of you with friends
A small journal or notebook
Self-Compassion
It’s profoundly powerful in a grounding process to support ourselves with self-compassion, which tends be the opposite of what one learns through self-negating/abandoning spirituality. You can learn about what self-compassion entails here from the leading self-compassion researcher Kristin
Sticky Notes-to-self
Put sticky notes around your house with messages, quotes, etc. that you find grounding. Ideal for places that you often look, like next to light switches, on the fridge, near your bed, on mirrors, doors, etc.