5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise

1. Describe 5 things you can see in the room
2. Name 4 things you can feel (“my feet on the floor” or “the air in my nose”)
3. Name 3 things you can hear right now (“traffic outside”)
4. Name 2 things you can smell right now (or 2 smells you like)
5. Name 1 good thing about yourself

You might feel calmer and more at ease by the end of this exercise. Repeat the 5 steps again if needed.

Play a “categories” game

Try to think of “types of dogs”, “states that begin with M”, “TV Shows”, “Cities in the State you Live in”, “30 Uses for an object you see”, “songs”, “actresses”

Describe an everyday activity using as much detail as possible

For example: eating breakfast (first, I decide I want cereal, then I put the cereal in the bowl, then I add milk to the bowl, then I get out a spoon, after that I put the milk in the fridge etc).

Count to 10 in any languages you can:

English, Spanish, French, German, Deutch etc.

Repeat a song or mantra over and over to yourself

Fight Song by Rachael Platten

Do a body scan and notice your body

Notice your feet on the floor, your weight on the chair, the feel of your clothing touching your skin, the hair on your head, etc.

Say kind things to yourself as if you were young, like a child

“you are a kind and caring person who is going through something hard” “this is hard but it will end” “I am right here with you-you are safe”

Think of things you have to look forward to in the next day, week, month

I am looking forward to my kids’ soccer game. I am looking forward to seeing that movie on Friday. I am looking forward to graduating high school.