Coping Mechanisms: Grounding Skills and How to Use Them

What are Grounding Skills?

While our first thought about “grounding” might be about getting in trouble by parents, caregivers, or even teachers, we are referring to a different type of grounding. Grounding can be described as our ability to stay present and be in the ‘here and now’. 

What does that mean? When experiencing racing thoughts, anxiety, depression, big emotions, etc., we can find ourselves focused on past situations and experiences, or a fear of the future, such as “what if?” questions and catastrophizing about potential scenarios. This can keep us from being present—from focusing on what is happening right now. One goal we may have is to be able to be present for all the moments in life and stop worrying about what has happened or what could happen. A way for us to try to be more present is to utilize grounding skills. Grounding skills are a type of coping skills/mechanisms that help to ground us back to the present, back into our body, and get out of feeling stuck in our mind.

When Can I Use Grounding Skills?

Grounding skills can be used at any time and almost any place. Whether we are at work, the doctor’s office, or at home for Thanksgiving, our racing thoughts and fears can show up, potentially leading us to feel helpless or overwhelmed. This is when we can utilize our grounding skills. It may be recommended that you first try out these grounding skills when we are not in a state of panic in order to feel more comfortable when they are actually needed. Rather than trying to figure out how to do a grounding technique, we will already have a little practice and know what it can look like, how to do it, and what doesn’t help. We also want to have numerous skills to try when we need to be grounded in case one isn’t helpful at the time, then we have plenty more to try next.

What are Examples of Grounding Skills?

Deep Breathing

Breathing is often talked about when we are experiencing anxiety or panic—why? While it is a basic survival skill, breathing and focusing on our breathing can not only help to soothe us, but can also serve as something to focus on when we feel stuck in our thoughts. We are bringing awareness back to our body and peace to our mind.

Deep breathing can include breathing in for a certain count of time and breathing out for a certain count of time. We are putting focus on how our body feels as we breathe in and out while also having control over how long we inhale and exhale, sometimes including holding the breath between the in and out breath counts.

Square Breathing

Square breathing can be both a counting tool and a visual tool. We are breathing in for 4 counts, holding for 4 counts, breathing out for 4 counts, and holding for 4 counts. This can be done with or without a visual. When utilizing a visual, we are looking for a square, tracing the edges with either our fingers or eyes for each count of 4 (one side is inhaling, the second is holding, the third is exhaling, and the fourth side is holding, making sure to repeat for a few rounds or until we feel calmer).

4-7-8 Breathing

Similarly to the above breathing techniques, we are using counts for each inhale and exhale. For 4-7-8 breathing, we are breathing in for 4 counts, holding the breath for 7 counts, and exhaling for 8 counts. For some people, this can be a bit tricky to do so making sure to do this to the best of our ability without causing harm or distress is preferred.

Grounding Objects

A grounding object can be any object around you that you are able to access easily or carry around with you, such as a small rock, a fidget toy, or even a piece of jewelry. We can use the object by holding it in our hand and focusing on answering some of the following questions: “Is this object heavy or light, smooth or rough, warm or cold? Does it have any details like inscriptions or bumps?”.

ABC Category Game

To engage in this mental grounding game, you will pick a category such as fruits, animals, celebrity names, landmarks, or whatever category you prefer and try to name an item within that category for every letter of the alphabet (i.e. Apple, Banana, Cantaloupe, etc.)

5-4-3-2-1

For this grounding tool, we are using our 5 senses. Find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear around you, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. For a more in-depth exercise, you can describe each thing in more detail (5- what is the color and texture of the table in front of you, 4- does the blanket feel soft, 3- is the noise loud and close or quiet and far, 2- can you still smell the item when you put it farther from your nose, and 1- does the item taste sweet or cold?).

Learn More About How to Use Grounding Skills

While this blog will hopefully provide some assistance, you can learn more about how and when to use grounding skills with a licensed therapist/counselor. 

If you are interested in speaking with a counselor or starting counseling services for yourself, your partner or child, or your family, Symmetry Counseling provides services for individuals, couples, and families. For more information, contact our intake department today to be connected with a counselor.

Written by: Victoria Delgadillo, LAC (Arizona Counselor)

Reference:

Davis, Tchiki. “What Are Grounding Techniques?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-for-happiness/202208/what-are-grounding-techniques. Accessed 15 Aug. 2024. 

de Tord, P., and Brauninger, I., Grounding: Theoretical ¨application and practice in Dance Movement Therapy, The Arts in Psychotherapy

(2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2015.02.001