Daily Practices · Grounding
Grounding techniques for distress and dissociation
The VA's PTSD Coach and Sidran Institute on the brief sensory techniques that interrupt overwhelm in the moment.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs5 min read
Grounding techniques — orienting to the present through the five senses, naming objects in the room, holding a cold object — are the most-used acute coping tools across trauma and anxiety care. PTSD Coach (the free VA mobile app) walks through them on demand and is appropriate for civilians as well.
Useful to install in advance, because the time to learn a grounding technique is not at the moment you need one.
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A note on this article
Mental Hum publishes general education, not medical advice. If something here reflects your own experience, please consider speaking to a clinician. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.