Lived Experience Forum

[Pollyotter]

Hello all. 

I hope you are doing good and looking after yourselves. 

I have been studying counseling for a number of months now and I have gained permission to share the following. 

One thing that I have noticed is that there are a hand few of grounding techniques that are making the turns in the forum. 

I hope that the  following  will help some of you or someone that you know who needs this information.

Grounding techniques

Using the body to regulate and create calm is really important when we have experienced trauma. With repetition and practice we can gradually re-wire our brains and give ourselves more choice in situations that previously have triggered a trauma response.  The key to all this practices is to focus your awareness on a given point and being fully present to your experience. 

Here are some suggestions to try and see what works best for you:

Rhythm 

Creating and focussing awareness on a rhythm can be a great way to ground.   Rhythms can include the beat of your own heart, tapping on the body with hands, stepping in a rhythm or using parts the feet to connect to the ground.   You can create a rhythm of any beats and move it with your hands around your body.   Take all your awareness and focus only on the rhythm you have created. 

Rocking

When triggered we can curl ourselves us and gently rock the body.   Staying in this position and motion until it feels complete.  From this place gently uncurl your body, slowly and consciously finding your way to your feet and gradually stretching up and out into the fullness of your body.   This is an experience of presence, regulating, agency and expansion.

Sound and vibration

Using your own voice begin to create a humming sound.  Feel for the vibration of this sound in your own body.   Continue with the humming and focusing awareness into the vibration.   Play with different sounds and the vibrations they create in your body.   See which one works best for you.  You may even like to add a word into the sound such as love, free, hope….whatever works best for you. 

Shaking

Shaking or trembling is a natural state that the body employs to regulate trauma.  We often become afraid of shaking / trembling when it happens by itself and sometimes try to stop it.  Shaking the body and allowing hands, wrists, arms, legs, feet and head to really shake, supports the body to down regulate, let go and come to a state of resolution.   Try this as a grounding strategy and see if it works for you. 

Passing a ball

The simple practice of throwing a ball against a wall or to another person can be extremely grounding.   Focus on the motion and precision of throwing and catching.   As you become more present you may find words to share with your throwing partner.   Notice the shifts in your body and emotions as you continue to throw and catch the ball. 

Slow pacing

This is a great way to use rhythm and movement to ground and down regulate the body.  Find your own pattern and bring full awareness to where your feet are touching the floor, how your muscles move and your body follows.   As you slowly pace you might like to begin to notice an object in the environment around you.  If you so choose, you could stop and allow yourself to deeply notice the texture, shape, form and any other aspects of that object.  You may like to pick it up, feel it, hold it and touch it on your skin.   These are all practices of being fully present to your surrounds and using the environment around you to ground you. 

You may also like to walk bare footed across a range of textures.   Try grass, dirt, stones, warm concrete.  Take your feet exploring and noticing all the different sensations and textures as you go. 

Toning

Using different toning sounds and directing them into specific areas of the body can support us to ground ourselves.   Play with using tones such as om, ah, do and direct the sound into different parts of your body.  If you want to get really fancy you could play with directing different sounds to chakras in the body.  This will take practice and is not something easily accessible when triggered so maybe stick to simplicity at first and later if this is something you are curious about, explore further. 

Swaddling

Wrapping ourselves or allowing someone to wrap us firmly in a blanket or sheet can be a useful way to ground.   Heavy blankets can be used in a similar way and being under one may be enough.   Stay swaddled until you feel ready to emerge and then gently unroll yourself.  Likewise cuddling an object of comfort can also be grounding. 

Movement

Dancing, moving, running, stamping…any type of embodied motion can be a great tool to bring us back into the present moment and feel a sense of groundedness.   Depending how triggered you are and how much choice you have, you might also like to add music that supports you, inspires or encourages you. 

Breath

Using long slow breaths can support us to down regulate our system very quickly.  Take all your awareness to your breath.  Make the exhales as long as possible even adding some counting as you go.   The longer your out breaths, the deeper your state of relaxation. 

Water

Taking a warm or cold shower can support us to become grounded.   Likewise simply holding a cold glass of water or warm tea and bringing all awareness into the sensation on your hands, lips, fluid through your body as you swallow, can be very grounding.   Holding a piece of ice in the palm of your hand may also be useful. 

Earthing

There is a whole movement around the concept of earthing but simply put taking some time to lie or sit on the grass, connect with the natural environment, allow sunshine to warm your skin and clean air to fill your lungs, can be very grounding.  You might even find that gardening and putting your hands into the actual earth is very grounding for you.  Maybe you have a special place in nature to go or maybe you can create that place in your imagination. 

Stand like a tree

Another great technique is become like a tree.   Sink your ‘roots’ deeply down into the earth, reaching right to the centre of the earths molten core.  Notice all layers of dirt, rocks, minerals as you bury your roots deeply.   Breathe the earth and sense of groundedness up through your body.   If you like, you might also choose to send your ‘branches’ into the sky, reaching for the clouds, sun, and universe.   Feel your connection to heaven and earth.   

Wheel of Awareness

Daniel Siegel has created this great practice to support us in being able to shift our awareness to different places.   This is a practice to use once we are able to ground and have some choice about our triggers and how we respond.   It is a useful tool to support us in training our body to centre and then intentionally place our awareness in different places.  You can practice sitting or standing, eyes open or closed.  Below are some links to further information and a recording of the practice. 

Guided meditation

Tag someone who might be in need 

Take care of one another

[frog]

That's super helpful @Pollyotter Thank you.

Hey @Maggie @Fluttershy1 @BlueBay dk if this is up your street but definitely worth a read. Maybe tag others who might benefit. See above!

[Pollyotter]

@frog 

Thanks Frog. 

I found it interesting how there are different ways on how one can ground other then the normal that we read about . 

I hope this information helps someone