5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique

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Grounding is a term for any practice that calms us by getting ourselves back into the here and now. It is a remedy for intrusive thoughts and feelings which are almost entirely about either the past or the future.

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5-4-3-2-1 is the most common grounding technique. It’s simply an inventory of where you are right now. It locates you there by getting you in contact with your five senses. You can practice it anywhere. You don’t necessarily have to identify all 15 things—often, relief comes before getting to the last step, and you can quit.

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Instructions:

Identify 5 things you can see in your field of vision.

Identify 4 things you can feel around you (eg, the chair beneath you, the breeze... feel free to feel something with your hand, such as a stone, the steering wheel, or your other arm)

Identify 3 things you hear. That can include sounds around you and internal ones, such as your breath.

Identify 2 things you can smell. If you want, a bar of soap or the air outside can help.

Identify 1 thing you can taste. What’s your tongue tasting inside your mouth right now?