Grounding With The Senses

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, unsettled, anxious, or might be dissociating, it’s helpful to “ground” yourself. Grounding can be a way of centering yourself back in the present moment and focusing on your current reality. One option for making this happen is through connecting with your five senses. Moreover, counting is useful when you need to distract yourself from distressing thoughts or uncomfortable sensations. That’s why counting down the senses is functional for people who are suffering from groundlessness. 

Engage with each sense individually to feel the full effect of being grounded in the here and now.

BEGINNERS

Grounding with the sense for beginners can look something like this:

1. Identify and notice 5 things you can see. 

2. Identify and notice 4 things you can touch.

3. Identify and notice 3 things you can hear.

4. Identify and notice 2 things you can smell.

5. Identify and notice 1 thing you can taste.

Pay attention to how you feel before practicing this skill and afterwards. You’ll hopefully observe a difference. Many people will say they feel more calm, relaxed, grounded, centered, present, and focused as well as less anxious, scared, upset, angry, and dissociative.  

Perhaps you’ve practiced the typical version of this skill as detailed above. If you’re interested in challenging yourself further into a deeper edition of grounding, you can try the guide below. 

ADVANCED

Grounding with the senses for advanced folks can look something like this:

1. Identify and notice five things you can see. 

   • Choose one thing you can see and describe its appearance.

     • Color?

     • Shape?

2. Identify and notice four things you can touch.

   • Choose one thing you can touch and describe its feel.

     • Texture?

     • Temperature?

3. Identify and notice three things you can hear.

   • Choose one thing you can hear and describe its sound.

     • Pitch?

     • Decibel?

4. Identify and notice two things you can smell.

   • Choose one thing you can smell and describe its scent. 

     • Aroma?

     • Strength? 

5. Identify and notice one thing you can taste.

   • Describe its savor.

     • Flavor?

     • Sharpness?

The concentration both “grounding with the senses” strategies require is beneficial when you’re struggling to remain checked in and calm. When you hone in on something tangible and real, others worries can float away.

I invite you to try either adaptation of this skill and see how it works for you. I offer this skill and others for my clients in therapy sessions. Book with me to learn more.