Grounding.  Perhaps you have heard a yoga teacher use the word or even a therapist, but what the heck is grounding and what does it mean? Grounding can mean a lot of different things and if you googled the term right now you would find articles on grounding electrically to the earth, getting centered, and feeling balanced.  How I refer to grounding when I talk about it refers to how grounding techniques can help us reduce and cope with our stress, anxiety, and panic while also assisting us in feeling more centered.

Grounding is a great technique that you can use anywhere at any time when you start to feel overwhelmed, panicked, dissociated, or anxious.  Sometimes it can be difficult to identify the emotion that you are feeling in the moment so it can be helpful to focus on how the body is feeling. When we experience overwhelm or panic our hearts can pound, we can have tunnel vision, feel dizzy, hear roaring in our ears, have sweaty palms, shortness of breath, and nausea.  You don’t have to experience all of things at once, sometimes it’s only a few. 

When you feel this way, it can be very difficult to focus on anything.  This is usually when I recommend using a ground technique.  I also recommend using a grounding technique if you are feeling disconnected and lost in thoughts so that you can feel more present.  When we feel overwhelmed and stressed we usually are not very present.  We are usually in our minds going through a to-do list, worries, memories, or ruminating,

This is one of my favorite grounding techniques that I use and I also teach clients to use.  

1. Place both feet flat on the floor (it is best if you can slip your feet out of your shoes).  
2. Spread your toes and rock your heels back and forth.  
3. Place your palms on the tops of your thighs.  
4. Find a soft gaze on the floor.  You can keep your eyes open or close them.  
5. On your inhale press your feet into the ground and press your hands into your thighs and hold for a count of 5, 
6. exhale and release.
7. Repeat 5 times
8. On the last exhale part your lips like and blow, like you are blowing out a birthday candle, and sink a little deeper into your chair.  
9. Rock your head side to side
10. Flutter your eyelids open

In this exercise I have you repeat the press 5 times but you can repeat it as many time as you need to feel grounded.