Sensory Grounding to help
refocus:
Sight
Focus on something. Notice all the
details that you see: colours,
shapes, parts that you like or dislike,
and so on.
Pick five things that you can see.
Focus on each for five seconds.
Then move on. Change the order
each time you begin again.
Sound
Listen to all the sounds that you
hear. How many different sounds
can you pick out? Be patient, as it
may take a few moments for
background sounds to become
noticeable.
Listen to music. Try to pick out each
instrument that you can hear. Listen
to them separately and then
together.
Taste
Taste something with strong flavour,
such as lemon or mint. Notice while
the flavour runs its course.
Touch
Feel the ground under your feet or the
chair beneath you. Notice how it feels to
be supported. To notice more, press your
feet firmly against the floor or hold tightly
onto the chair.
Place something cold on your face or on
the back of your neck.
Touch something and focus on how it
feels. You can use your phone, keys, a
stone, a pillow. Notice the texture and
temperature.
Smell
Stop and notice every scent around you.
Be patient as some scents are mild.
Smell an essential oil, a perfume,
aftershave, a candle, or anything that is
strongly scented. Breathe it in deeply,
focusing hard on the scent.
5-4-3-2-1 uses all five senses. Name five
things you see; four that you can feel,
three things you hear, two that you can
smell and one good thing about yourself.
3-3-3 works along the same lines: name
three things you see, pick out three
sounds that you can hear, and move three
different parts of your body.