Grounding Techniques and Why they are Beneficial

What is “Grounding?”

“Grounding” is a term that is becoming more known, particularly in the field of mental health. And depending who is defining it, the definition may have some variations. For the purpose of this post, I’ll be referring to “grounding” as having present awareness by connecting our internal and external worlds through physically connecting with the earth or immediate environment to feel conscious stability.

Odgen & Fisher have a great explanation of “Grounding” in their book “Sensorimotor Psychotherapy” (2015). They describe Grounding as “making an energetic and physical connection with the earth, or ground, so that the energy of the body is directed downward” (2015 p. 334). They explain that the “concrete sensation of connecting to the earth” helps allow our body to respond to the “pull of gravity by settling downward” (2015, p. 334). When we move our energy downward through deep breathing and present awareness, we can release all that unwanted and anxious energy into the ground where it can be safe and do no harm.

Grounding is a mindful practice; it brings the mind back to the present using the energy around us in our environment to help us feel more calm and stable. When we ground ourselves we slow our emotions down sending signals to our brain that we are safe, thus re-entering a state of calmness. Grounding is particularly useful if you have experienced any sort of trauma or dissociative experiences.

The amygdala is a brain structure that is key when we feel stressed or anxious; it is necessary for us to be able to feel emotions and to identify them in others. When we are stressed, anxious or scared it is our amygdala that gets activated and tells our sympathetic nervous system to initiate the fight-flight-freeze response signalling that there is some kind of danger. But sometimes there is no “real” danger just the perception of danger that anxiety is warning us of. If we feed into the anxiety it can heighten stress and tension in the body limiting our ability to focus, and drain us of energy. Grounding techniques help to prevent the tension and stress from worsening, and rather, help to calm our nervous system by bringing our minds back to present awareness and using the ground and our senses as a foundation for stability.

What does it mean to be “un-grounded”:

When we are “un-grounded” our body may feel tense, achy or weak; we might hold our breath or not have a smooth flow of air going in and out of the body; we might notice our inhales may be short or sudden (Ogden & Fisher, 2015). This can heighten our stress response in our sympathetic nervous system and if unable to calm or regulate that stress response it can make it difficult to concentrate and focus on desired tasks.

When we are un-grounded it can lead to responses that are not always in line with how we want to respond. For example, we might be more defensive, reactive, worried or hyper-aroused. It can also create the feeling of being disconnected or unstable, where you might feel more insecure and find it hard to concentrate.

The impact if unable to ground ourselves: Without being able to effectively ground ourselves it may have an impact on our ability to work toward goals or intentions, and could leave us ruminating in our worries or fears. Furthermore, not grounding ourselves to present awareness can also affect how we are able to tolerate stressors that come, and how to regulate intense emotions. If we cannot control how stress persists it can have physiological effects on our immune system, possibly creating more susceptibility to pain or sickness.

How to Ground yourself:

One of the most common techniques of grounding is turning to your senses or using the 5-4-3-2-1 technique (5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste). Using our senses is a great way to feel grounded. Our senses bring our focus to what we are seeing, hearing, touching etc. Here are some other ways to effectively practice grounding:

Physically press your feet into the ground or floor – notice the firmness on the ground and that you are stable and safe in this moment. Notice every time you exhale, any unnerving energy moves further downward and out of your body to the ground.

Body scans – Body scans are great for bringing present awareness to tension in your body. Notice any tension as you consciously bring your mind to each body part starting from the top of your head and move your attention all the way to your toes. It is helpful to say each body part out loud or silently in your head to bring your full attention to it. Breathe through that tension as you focus on each body part.

Slowing down – Wherever you are or whatever you are doing try and slow down and take in your surroundings every so often, or when you start to notice more stress or anxiety creeping in. Notice little details on what you see; bringing forward purposeful attention rather than surface glances.

Breath work – Breathing is the necessary process for living by bringing oxygen to the cells in our body, while also extracting carbon dioxide out of the body (Cedar, 2018). The act of breathing is what fuels our body with energy so we can sustain engagement with activities. An easy breath work exercise to ground yourself is: inhale for a four seconds, then exhale for a six seconds.

Use curiousity instead of judgment – If you are feeling tension or uncomfortable/distressing emotions try and steer away from judging or blaming it (i.e., “I hate this feeling, why does the happen to me,” “it will never go away”). Instead, try and notice it with curiousity (i.e., where is the tension, what shape does it feel like, does it feel tingly, hot or cold? etc).

Effects of grounding:

When we are able to be present through grounding it results in increased clarity and focus; allowing you to be able to continue to move forward in the goals you have set out to do. It can also be helpful in reducing the impact little stressors may have on you that when un-grounded may derail your whole mood or day.

When we are grounded, we are able to thoughtfully take notice of reactions or feelings that come up and rationally respond, so to prevent any escalation of stress, anxieties or worries.

By pressing or noticing your feet on the ground gravity is there to support you and allow any unnerving tension in your body to be directed downward as you breathe. This releases you of some or all of that heavy weight of anxiety or stress holding you down.

These skills in grounding have great benefits in helping to manage and regulate emotions. As well, it allows our mind and body to have the needed breaks to slow down and release any unwanted tension. Experiment with the grounding techniques that speak to you, or when in doubt, just turn to one of your senses and notice grounding taking place.