Grounding Techniques for Anxiety Relief
Reviewed by Dr. Nicholas Gehle, Psy.D., licensed clinical psychologist (FL PY8489) · Updated
Sensory-based exercises to anchor you in the present moment and interrupt anxious spirals.
(Van der Kolk, 2014; Linehan, 2015)
Why Grounding Techniques Work
When you're anxious or panicking, your prefrontal cortex goes offline. Grounding techniques work by redirecting attention from abstract worries to concrete sensory input. This shift activates the sensory cortex and interrupts the amygdala's fear response.
If you're new to grounding, 5-4-3-2-1 grounding is a simple place to start: you count down through what you can see, touch, hear, smell and taste.
Start Practicing Today
Try our guided grounding exercises with step-by-step instructions.
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