“The next message you need is always right where you are” - Ram Dass

What is grounding? Grounding is a behavioral technique that has many of the same principles as mindfulness. It is often used when a person is acutely distressed and tolerating that distress is very difficult. It can also be used when a person with cancer is facing an event that may trigger a past event that was very upsetting to them. Grounding can help pull you back to the present moment.

Grounding involves noticing in the here and now. Here are a few examples:

• Describe some object in your environment in detail. Try focusing solely on that object, not on other thoughts you may be having. You may want to count categories of objects in your environment. For example, how many people, ceiling tiles, or chairs in the waiting room do you see?

• Visualize a common task as if you were doing it right now. Describe in detail how to do this task (either in your mind or to a support person out loud).

• Notice your five senses:

  • Search for five things you can see

  • Search for four things you can touch

  • Search for three things you can hear

  • Search for two things you can smell

  • Search for one thing you can taste

25 Grounding Techniques for Anxiety