Physical grounding uses the body, such as pressing the feet into the ground, holding or drinking something cold, gripping a firm object, or walking, to anchor a person in the present when they are too overwhelmed to follow a thinking exercise. It works best when chosen by the person in advance, and it should avoid reminders of their trauma, cold held against bare skin for long, and strong smells from smoke.
Physical grounding techniques use pressure, temperature, movement and strong sensation to restore awareness of the body and place.
The Body Gives A Reliable Present-Tense Signal
When a person cannot think clearly, a simple physical instruction is still possible. Feeling weight on the feet, a cold cup in the hand or a firm surface under the palms carries the message “this is happening now”. As with other grounding methods, the mechanism is plausible and the controlled evidence is limited; see Grounding Techniques.
Methods
- Feet and weight. Stand or sit and press the feet down. Notice the pressure, the texture, the temperature of the ground. Shift weight from one foot to the other.
- Cold. Drink a cup of cold water slowly. Hold a cold stone, a metal cup or a wet cloth. A splash of cold water on the face is a stronger option. It briefly slows the heart in most people, which is part of why it is used for acute panic; people with heart disease or an irregular pulse should not use strong cold on the face.
- Firm grip. Hold a smooth stone, a tool handle or a piece of rope. Press the palms together.
- Movement. Walk, stretch, stamp, roll the shoulders. Slow, deliberate movement helps; frantic movement can feed panic.
- Body scan. Move attention slowly from the feet upward, naming each part. It takes longer and suits calmer moments; for some people attention on the body is distressing, and they should skip it.
- Strong taste. A bite of something sharp or sweet, such as a piece of dried fruit or a sip of strong tea, gives an immediate sensation.
Choosing, Testing And Teaching
- Ask the person, when calm, which methods they find steadying.
- Practise together in ordinary time.
- Teach buddies the person’s preferred method; see Buddy System for Trauma.
- Offer a choice during an episode: “Would holding something cold help?”
What To Avoid
- Smoke as a smell anchor. The parent guide lists smoke as a pungent anchor; for anyone who survived a fire or a burned settlement it is a trigger, not an anchor.
- Ice held against bare skin for long. It can burn the skin. Use a cold, wet cloth or stone for a short period.
- Touch without asking. Even a hand on the shoulder can be taken as restraint.
- Hot pepper or other irritants on the face and eyes.
Cold and the face
Cold water on the face is for acute panic only. Do not use it on a person who is unconscious, is shivering from real cold exposure, or has a known heart rhythm problem. For genuine hypothermia, see Hypothermia.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Orientation Phrases — pair body methods with plain statements
- Combine with: 5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Method — once thinking returns