Grounding is a practice that can help you pull away from flashbacks, unwanted memories, and negative or challenging emotions. These techniques are exercises that may help you refocus on the present moment to distract yourself from anxious feelings. In this lesson we will explore strategies that can help a you manage your traumatic memories or strong emotions. Examples include breathing exercises and focusing on the five senses.

The purpose of these grounding techniques is to allow you to step away from negative thoughts or flashbacks. As you practice these techniques you can decrease the intensity of your feelings or trauma by distracting them using your five senses. Focus on what you observe in the present, to help you detach from the past.

Experts suggest that grounding techniques are useful for people experiencing panic or trauma flashbacks. Behavioral health service providers can use these techniques to help calm a person down. Grounding techniques are particularly useful for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociation, panic attacks, or anxiety.

You can use grounding techniques to help create space from distressing feelings in nearly any situation, but they’re especially helpful for improving:

• anxiety
• well-being
• stress
• depression
• mood
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• dissociation

Downloads

• Grounding Techniques

Session Assignments

Download the PDF below for the complete list of grounding techniques.  Explore the list of 30 options to find a few that work best for you.