Grounding 5 · 4 · 3 · 2 · 1

5 min

When the mind is gripped by anxiety or by the past, the best way back is through the senses. They always work in the present.

How to do it

Slowly, out loud or silently, name:

1. 5 things you can see. For example: a blue mug, a crack in the ceiling, light from the window.
2. 4 things you can feel. The chair beneath you, the fabric of your clothes, cool air on your skin.
3. 3 sounds you can hear. Even the quietest: the hum of the fridge, cars outside.
4. 2 smells. If there are none, recall two favourites.
5. 1 taste. What you notice in your mouth right now.

When to use it

• during a panic attack or when you feel one coming;
• when you are stuck in anxious thoughts;
• after a difficult conversation or memory;
• after a regression session, if you want to come back more fully.

Short exercises you can do on your own. They don't replace working with a specialist, but they help you find your footing here and now.