What is Grounding?

Grounding is a particularly useful skill in the treatment of trauma and its symptoms. Grounding skills assist in managing anxiety, as well as bringing a client back into their body andcalming down the body’s nervous systems response to triggers. These skills can assist in navigating flashbacks, trauma triggers, and dissociation.

The five senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing) are relied on to ground, andconnect a client to present safety. Used consistently, grounding skills increase a client’s felt sense of safety and aid in placing the client back into the window of tolerance (a regulated zone outside of hyperarousal and hypoarousal).

Video Grounding Exercises:

More Resources:

30 Grounding Techniques to Quiet Distressing Thoughts

7 Simple Grounding Techniques for Calming Down Quickly