GROUNDING TECHNIQUES

Ask yourself inside, what YOU need
Use red markers to "cut" on your skin
Run your hands under freezing cold water
Listen to music/relaxation tapes
Make a phone list of people you can call for support. Allow yourself to use it
Learn HALT signals (hungry, angry, lonely, tired)
Identify what is causing you pain (other than food)
Accept where you are in the process. Beating yourself up, only makes it worse.
Do something FUN!!!
Take a break from mental processing
Take a SAFE risk
Tear up paper
Honor your present anger
Throw ice cubes at the bathtub wall, at a tree, etc.
Give yourself permission to.... (Keep it safe)
Lose the "should-could-have to" words. Try... "What if"
Choose your way of thinking, try to resist following old thinking patterns
Put memories in air tight containers with air tight lids
Notice black and white thinking
Connect with others around you. Call a therapist or friend.
Notice "choices" versus "dilemmas"
Keep in touch with others who are fighting the same fight
Check in with yourself and others frequently (try not to isolate)
Make yourself as comfortable as possible (Without using food)
Take a bath or a shower
Color in coloring books
Hold a stuffed animal
Write a poem
Leave the room
Leave the premises
Write a letter, NOT mailed, to the person or problem upsetting you
Play a musical instrument
Plan regular activities for your most difficult time of day
Call a hotline or support group
Listen to a comedy tape or video
Reality check old messages (Those you supply and those you hear others tell you)
Clean the house
Repetitive reality checking
Negotiate with yourself
Get to know others
Recognize and acknowledge the choices you have NOW
Offer options
Carry tokens to remind you of peaceful comforting things/people
Create and use mental safe places ie. beach
Get out on your own, get away from the stress
Help someone around you (reach out on a bb, newsgroup, phone list etc.)
Pay attention to the changes needed to make you feel safe
Count yourself down (10...9...8...7...)
Take a different perspective (different vantage point)
"I'm aware" Repeat 5 things you see, smell, touch, taste in your present surroundings to help ground you in the present
Pay attention to your breathing (breath slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth)
Pay attention to the rhythmic motions of your body (walking, stretching, etc.)
Move to music
ASK FOR HELP
Make affirmation tapes inside you that are good, kind, gentle (Sometimes you can do this by writing down the negative thoughts and then physically re-writing them into positive messages)
Journal
Touch Something familiar/safe
Draw
Put your feet firmly on the floor
Make something (craft, needlework, etc.)
Accept a gift from a friend
Meditate
Pull weeds in a garden
Plant flowers