Grounding can help to shift your attention from upsetting thoughts, feelings and memories to focus on:
- The present moment.
- What’s happening around you.
- Feeling calm and centred.
There are three main types of grounding:
- Physical
- Mental
- Self-soothing
Grounding can be done anytime, anywhere. Try practicing these exercises when you feel relaxed, so you already know what to do at other times when you feel stressed.
Tip: Store a list of your favourite grounding exercises on your phone, so they’re easy to access.
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Perinatal anxiety management
Physical grounding
1
Anchoring technique: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
2
Slow your breathing
3
Cool off
4
Warm up
5
Touch
6
Listen
7
Body scan
Mental grounding
1
Say your name, date of birth, address, today’s date, and ‘I’m safe, everything is okay’.
2
Describe a nearby item in detail
3
Count backwards
4
Make mental lists
Self-soothing talk
Soothe yourself with kind words:
“I’m safe. These sensations will pass. Everything is okay. I’m okay.”
You can use these grounding exercises any time, day or night – to relax, de-stress, and bring your focus to the present moment. If you’d like to explore more simple self-care strategies, please feel welcome to call the PANDA National Helpline to have a chat with our counsellors and peer support practitioners.
Tip: Rate your stress or anxiety level from zero to 10. Try a grounding exercise, then rate again (0-10). Notice a difference? You might like to do a grounding exercise each day for a week and keep a note of your anxiety/stress scores each time. With time and practice, grounding can help you to feel relaxed, calm, and focused on the present moment.
Factsheets
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