3 Grounding Exercises for Calm

With Instructional Videos

The following exercises are meant to help soothe your nervous system and move you from a sympathetic state (fight or flight) to a parasympathetic state (rest and digest). They are used in EMDR, which is a trauma therapy treatment, to help people practice self soothing, but they can taught and used by anyone. *

5,4,3,2,1 Grounding Steps

Please only do this exercise if the environment you are in is actually safe. For example do not try to do this exercise while your house is on fire if you are in it.

1. Name 5 things you see

2. Name 4 things you can touch

3. Name 3 things you can hear

4. Name 2 things you can smell

5. Name 1 thing you can taste