Five Sense Grounding

“Grounding” is an activity that is used to bring one’s focus back to the here-and-now. This is a coping skill that works particularly well at stopping dissociation. In other words, it is helpful when someone feels as if they have left their body, as if they are floating or watching their life from behind a screen, or they are not connected to their current surroundings.

Here’s how five sense grounding works:

1. Start with sight. Name five things that you can see. Literally list the objects in your physical space. As long as you are listing objects you can see, you’re doing this right. You can list these items in your mind. You can write them down or you can speak them out loud.

2. Next move to touch. What are five things that you can feel? This can be objects you can hold or touch. It can be the fabrics you are wearing. It can be the weight of your body on the surface supporting it, like your back against a chair or your feet on the floor.

3. Now, on to hearing. What are five things you can hear right now? Is there traffic in the distance? Maybe nearby? Is it windy? Do you have music or the TV on? Is there a clock ticking? Can you hear the sound of your own breath?

4. Let’s try smell next. What do your surroundings smell like? If you can’t smell anything that’s ok. The purpose of this exercise is to bring you back to the present so if your surroundings do not smell like anything in particular, note that. If you smell something that reminds you of the past, how can you tell the difference between that smell and what you are smelling now? How can you tell that smell is in the here-and-now?

5. Last, and sometimes least, taste. What can you taste right now? Are you snacking? How would you describe the taste of what you are eating? If you aren’t eating, what does the inside or your mouth taste like? Does your breath taste like coffee? Does it taste like nothing? Again, the purpose of this is to be present. If your mouth does not have a particular taste, note that.

How are you feeling now that you’ve completed that exercise?