Grounding techniques
Different techniques work for different states. Pick the one that matches how you feel right now — there's no wrong choice.
5-4-3-2-1 Senses
5 minName 5 things you can see, 4 touch, 3 hear, 2 smell, 1 taste.
Use when anxious and your senses still feel sharp.
Category Grounding
3 minName categories of things — 5 blue, 4 animals, 3 cities, 2 foods, 1 person.
Use when dissociated or your senses feel dull.
5-Finger Breathing
2 minTrace each finger with slow breaths. Tactile + breath combined.
Use during panic — works when plain breathing feels impossible.
Butterfly Hug
1–2 minCross arms, tap alternately on each shoulder, breathe normally.
Use for hyperarousal or trauma flashbacks (EMDR-derived).
Safe Place Visualisation
3–5 minPicture a place — real or imagined — where you feel completely safe.
Use for intrusive thoughts or pre-sleep anxiety.
Orienting Statement
1 minSay aloud: your name, today's date, where you are, that you're safe.
Use for derealisation — the ‘this isn't real’ feeling.
Still unsure which to try? The first one (5-4-3-2-1) is a good default.
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