Health & Healing
Getting Grounded:
Exercises for Orienting in the Present
How Grounding Works
Grounding works by helping your nervous system shift out of overwhelm and back into a more steady state. When you connect with your senses, your breath, or the physical world around you, your brain receives signals that you’re in the present moment — not in the stress or danger your body might still be reacting to.
Your nervous system is built to protect you. When something feels threatening, your body can move into fight, flight, freeze, or a high‑alert state. This response is automatic. It’s your biology doing its job. But sometimes your body stays activated long after the moment has passed.
Grounding gives your system a way to settle.
- When you focus on what you can see, hear, or feel, your brain shifts attention away from internal distress and toward external cues that are stable and real.
- When you slow your breathing or feel your feet on the floor, your body sends signals to the brain that things are safer now.
- When your mind names the date, the room you’re in, or the objects around you, it helps your brain orient to “here and now” instead of “back then.”
These small shifts activate parts of the brain involved in awareness, decision‑making, and regulation. They also help quiet the areas that stay active during stress or trauma reminders. Over time, this can help your body return to a more balanced state.
Grounding Exercises
Grounding practices meet you where you are – whether you’re navigating everyday stress, recovering from a difficult moment, or coming down from a situation that demanded quick thinking and fast action. If you’re someone who supports others, responds to crises, or carries responsibility for people’s safety, grounding can help you settle your system after being “on” for a long time.
You get to choose what feels right for you. You can move slowly. You can pause whenever you need. Grounding is an invitation to return to yourself, at your own pace, in your own way.
These practices help you come back into your body and into the present moment. You’re not trying to fix anything. You’re just giving yourself something steady to hold onto.
Sensory Grounding
These help you reconnect with what’s around you.
- You look around and name a few things you can see.
- You touch something with texture and notice how it feels.
- You run warm or cool water over your hands.
- You take a slow sip of water and feel it move through your body.
- You press your feet into the floor and feel the support underneath you.
Breath‑Based Grounding
These help your body settle at its own pace.
- You take one slow breath and let the exhale fall out naturally.
- You place a hand on your chest or belly and feel the rise and fall.
- You breathe in gently and let your exhale be a little longer, only if it feels okay.
Cognitive Grounding
These help your mind find something steady.
- You name the day, month, or year to remind yourself where you are in time.
- You describe the space around you — colors, shapes, light.
- You gently remind yourself, “You’re here. You’re safe enough right now.”
- You count backward from a number that feels manageable.
Movement Grounding
These help your body release tension and reconnect.
- You roll your shoulders or stretch your arms.
- You stand and shift your weight from one foot to the other.
- You walk slowly and notice each step.
Soothing Grounding
These help you feel comforted and supported.
- You place a hand over your heart or anywhere that feels calming.
- You wrap yourself in a blanket or soft fabric.
- You repeat a phrase that feels steady, like “You’re doing the best you can.
Click on this link for a 1-page summary of the Grounding Techniques.
Four Grounding Techniques
This video demonstrates several simple techniques that can be used in most any setting. They highlight: 1) focusing on color; 2) using the 5 senses; 3) movements that energize; and4) simple hand and foot exercises. Disclaimer: 3rd party videos for educational purposes only. May contain ads. See their website for their privacy policies.