Grounding Techniques: What They Are And How They Work

Grounding techniques are brief cognitive, sensory, or behavioral strategies that deliberately direct attention towards present-moment internal or external experiences to manage dissociative experiences, emotional overwhelm, or traumatic re-experiencing.

Originally rooted in body psychotherapy, grounding is now widely used as a stabilization intervention within contemporary trauma-focused therapies.

People who have experienced trauma can sometimes become overwhelmed by distressing intrusive memories, emotions, or physical sensations, or experience dissociation – a disruption in their normal awareness of themselves, their surroundings, or the present moment. At these times, it can become difficult to think clearly, regulate emotions, or remain engaged in everyday life or therapy.

Grounding techniques are designed to help people reconnect with the present and regain a sense of safety and stability during these experiences.

This article explores the origins of grounding techniques, their role within trauma-focused therapy, the relationship between grounding and dissociation, the different types of grounding techniques, and the clinical implications of their use in practice.

The origins of grounding

The term ‘grounding’ was coined by Alexander Lowen in his 1976 book Bioenergetics. Lowen’s theory proposed that people are “physically, emotionally, and energetically grounded to the earth” and that those who are psychologically mature and well-grounded with good body awareness (“in touch with reality”) literally have their “feet on the ground.

Lowen described grounding as serving “the same function for the organism’s energy system that it does for a high-tension electrical circuit. It provides a safety valve for the discharge of excess excitation”.

Grounding forms an essential pillar of the bioenergetics approach, incorporating concepts of verticality (contact with the ground), contact with one’s own physicality, the capacity for emotional holding, and discharge of ‘energy’ into the ground.

While the concept originated within bioenergetics, grounding techniques are now used much more broadly by psychological therapists, particularly when working with survivors of trauma.

Grounding, trauma and dissociation

Traumatic experiences can disrupt the brain and body's ability to regulate emotional and physiological arousal, making it more difficult for people to remain within their window of tolerance – the range in which they are able to think clearly, manage their emotions and respond flexibly to everyday situations.

When people move outside this window, trauma reminders may trigger intense emotional and physiological responses, including intrusive memories or flashbacks, or feelings of detachment from themselves or their surroundings (Corrigan et al., 2011)

One influential cognitive framework distinguishes between two broad forms of dissociation (Holmes et al., 2005; Kennerley, 2009):

• Detachment involves feeling disconnected from oneself or from the external world. It includes experiences such as depersonalization ("I don't feel like myself") and derealization ("The world doesn't seem real"), and may occur during or following traumatic experiences.

• Compartmentalization refers to a temporary disruption in the voluntary control of mental processes that would normally be accessible, such as aspects of memory or voluntary movement. Examples include dissociative amnesia and some functional neurological symptoms (Holmes et al., 2005).

Grounding techniques help clients deliberately redirect their attention towards the present by engaging with their immediate surroundings, bodily sensations, or sensory experiences. Grounding aims to strengthen present-moment awareness and help clients distinguish between the traumatic event, which occurred in the past, and their current environment.

Contemporary trauma-informed approaches view grounding as a practical skill for stabilization and emotion regulation that can support clients in remaining engaged in trauma-focused work without becoming overwhelmed or disconnected from the present (Cloitre et al., 2012; ISTSS, 2019; NICE, 2018; Ogden et al., 2006).

Types of grounding techniques

By teaching grounding as a skills-development exercise, therapists can help clients to manage dissociative reactions. Grounding techniques can be divided into:

• Sensory grounding techniques, which use the client’s senses to ground their attention in the present moment.

• Cognitive grounding techniques, which allow individuals to reassure themselves that they are safe in the present moment by, for example, telling themselves that the trauma is over and that they are safe in the current location at the current date.

Several sub-groups exist within these broad categories, commonly offered by therapists as potential routes by which effective grounding can be achieved.

Sensory grounding

Using the senses of sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste is a quick and powerful way of bringing attention back to the moment at hand. Examples include the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, splashing the face with cold water, smelling strong scents such as chewing gum or essential oils, or carrying a grounding object with pleasing sensory properties.

Using the body

If a person feels distressed, they can use their body to help them come back to the present moment. Examples include changing position, exercising, stretching, dancing, pressing the feet into the floor, or repeatedly curling and releasing the fingers or toes.

Distraction and reorientation

Dissociation and unwanted thoughts can be persistent. If attention keeps returning to unhelpful places, distraction can gently bring it back to the present. Examples include spending time in nature, speaking with other people, reading, listening to music or podcasts, and walking slowly while concentrating on each step.

Physical soothing

The body and mind are connected. Physical soothing techniques can help people relax.

Examples include breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, stretching, exercise, and seeking physical connection such as a hug or contact with a pet.

Safety-focused grounding

Unwanted memories from the past can make people feel unsafe. Grounding can include reminders of present-day safety. Examples include carrying evidence of survival, writing reminder letters, using coping statements such as “I survived” or “This is just a memory”, and focusing on how the present differs from the time of the trauma.

Orientation in time and space

Dissociation can make people forget where and when they are. Grounding can involve reminding oneself where one is right now, when it is right now, and how the present differs from the time and place in which the trauma occurred.

Compassion-focused grounding

Grounding can also involve responding to distress with understanding and kindness. Examples include acknowledging why a person might feel frightened after unwanted memories and considering how one would respond to another person who was suffering in the same way.

Imaginative grounding

The mind can respond to imagined experiences as powerfully as it does to real experiences. Examples include safe-place exercises, compassionate-other exercises, and deliberately recalling happier times, safe places, or safe people.

Top 5 clinical tips for using grounding techniques

1. Grounding requires practice to work effectively.

2. Encourage clients to attempt a range of techniques to discover which approaches work most effectively for them.

3. Introduce grounding as a skills-development exercise rather than a one-off intervention.

4. Combine grounding with carefully graded exposure to triggers during therapy sessions to help clients practice their skills.

5. Encourage clients to carry grounding objects with them, such as essential oils or other sensory grounding items.

Clinical implications

Grounding is best understood as part of a broader stabilization approach.

The literature described in the Grounding Techniques Menu emphasizes safety, present-moment orientation, and the development of coping skills for clients who experience dissociation or trauma-related distress.

Rather than representing a single technique, grounding encompasses a diverse set of sensory, cognitive, physical, compassionate, and imaginative strategies that can be adapted to individual needs.

Frequently asked questions

What is grounding in psychology?

Grounding refers to methods that help individuals bring their attention back to the present moment. In trauma-focused therapy, grounding is often used to help manage dissociative reactions and intrusive memories.

How does grounding help with dissociation?

Dissociation can be described as a shift of attention away from the present moment, through either detachment or compartmentalization. Grounding techniques help redirect attention toward current surroundings and present-day safety.

What are sensory grounding techniques?

Sensory grounding techniques use sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste to anchor attention in the present moment. Examples include the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, cold water, strong smells, and grounding objects.

What is the difference between sensory and cognitive grounding?

Sensory grounding uses the senses to reconnect with the present moment, while cognitive grounding uses thoughts and reminders that reinforce present-day safety, such as remembering that the trauma is over and identifying the current time and place.

Do grounding techniques require practice?

Yes. Grounding requires practice to work effectively, and clients are encouraged to experiment with different techniques to identify those that work best for them.

References

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• Corrigan, F. M., Fisher, J. J., & Nutt, D. J. (2011). Autonomic dysregulation and the window of tolerance model of the effects of complex emotional trauma. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 25(1), 17–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881109354930

• de Tord, P., & Bräuninger, I. (2015). Grounding: Theoretical application and practice in dance movement therapy. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 43, 16–22.

• Ehlers, A., & Clark, D. M. (2000). A cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38(4), 319–345.

• Ehlers, A., Hackmann, A., & Michael, T. (2004). Intrusive re-experiencing in post-traumatic stress disorder: Phenomenology, theory, and therapy. Memory, 12(4), 403–415.

• Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery. New York: Basic Books.

• Holmes, E. A., Brown, R. J., Mansell, W., Fearon, R. P., Hunter, E. C., Frasquilho, F., & Oakley, D. A. (2005). Are there two qualitatively distinct forms of dissociation? A review and some clinical implications. Clinical Psychology Review, 25(1), 1–23.

• Kennerley, H. (1996). Cognitive therapy of dissociative symptoms associated with trauma. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 35(3), 325–340.

• Kennerley, H. (2009). Cognitive therapy for post-traumatic dissociation. In N. Grey (Ed.) A Casebook of Cognitive Therapy for Traumatic Stress Reactions (pp. 109–126). Routledge.

• Lowen, A. (1976). Bioenergetics. Penguin Books.

• Lowen, A. (1993). Depression and the Body. New York, NY: Penguin Compass.

• Sanderson, C. (1991). Counselling Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.