WAVELENGTHS PSYCHOLOGY
  • Home
  • Children
    • About Child Therapy
    • ADHD and Children
  • Adolescents
    • About Teen Therapy
    • Anxiety and Teens
    • Depression and Teens
  • Adults
    • Therapy for Adults
    • Women Focused
  • Neurofeedback
  • Providers
    • Providers at a glance
    • Sharon Grand, Ph.D.
    • Jayoti Chabra, LMSW
    • Bryan Johnson, LMSW
    • Melissa Laks, LMSW
    • Melissa Marconi, LMSW
    • Ginger Mencher, LCSW
    • Linda Montalbano, LPMHC
    • Andrea Panebianco, M.S.
    • Victoria Pitz, LPMHC
    • Caroline Rudin, LMSW, MS.Ed
    • Jessica Satkunasingham, LMSW
    • Amanda Snizek, LMSW
    • Rukiya Symister, M.A.
    • Eric Walter, Psy.D.
    • Janet Whyte, LMSW
    • Denise Wright, Ph.D., BCBA, LBA
    • Staff Login
  • Contact Us
  • Blog Posts
  • Groups
    • Women
    • Young Adults
    • Teens
  • Employment Opportunities
    • Therapist Openings
    • Post-Doctoral Fellowship
    • Psychology Internships

Wavelengths Blog

Anxiety Grounding Techniques to Use at Home

12/26/2022

0 Comments

 
By Melissa Laks, LMSW
Picture
Grounding is an effective way to calm anxiety symptoms. It is a self-soothing tool that you can use when you are having a bad day or dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety. The purpose of grounding techniques allows you to step away from negative thoughts, worries, and feelings and helps keep you in the present and focus on what is going on in the here-and-now. By focusing on the present surroundings, you can become more aware of your safe surroundings and start to feel calmer.

​In this first grounding process,  you identify objects around you to help your brain recognize where you are and that you are in a safe space. 
​
This first technique is called the the 54321 method. Take a deep breath, look around you, and identify
  • 5 things you can see
  • 4 things you can feel
  • 3 things you can hear
  • 2 things you can smell
  • 1 thing you can taste
 
Taste is sometimes hard to identify, so you could substitute that by thinking of your favorite thing to taste, or you can name one thing you like about yourself. As your mind starts to focus on these things around you, it will be less focused on worries and stressors. This will help slow your heart rate, and control your breathing, which then will help make you feel better overall.  This tool is also great for children!
 
Another technique is playing a game with yourself. You can get your mind off anxiety symptoms by asking yourself a question that has a multitude of answers and forces you to remain focused for several seconds.  For example:
  • Name as many states as you can
  • Name as many animals as you can
  • Name as many cities as you can
  • Name as many colors as you can see
  • Name as many sport teams as you can
You may respond to some questions better than others, but the idea is to divert your brain off of the feelings of anxiety and related thoughts.

A third technique is using your fingers to breath in and out.  Run anyone of your left fingers up and down your right thumb slowly.  When you go up, breathe in.  When you go down, breathe out.  Then move to your pointer, your middle finger, your ring finger, and your pinky.  When you are done, switch hands.  This techniques can be practiced almost anywhre as it is subtle and quiet.
 
It is important to practice grounding techniques daily. You can practice grounding techniques when taking a shower, eating a meal, going on a walk, or before bed. The more you practice grounding techniques the more comfortable you will feel using them when symptoms of anxiety and stress start to appear. Grounding is a useful tool for staying focused and not allowing anxiety to take full control. With the help of grounding, you can learn to better cope with anxiety. Remember that most worries take place in the future, meaning we are worried about what will happen, or in the past, when we are triggered by memories of what has happened. Often what is happening right now is safe and even something that we want to be more more mentally available for. Over time, with practice it will be easier to be present.
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022

    Categories

    All
    ADHD
    Andrea Panebianco
    Body-Mind
    Caroline Rudin
    Children
    Chonic Illness
    Dating
    Holidays
    Inspiration
    Janet Whyte
    Jayoti Chabra
    Jessica Satkunasingham
    Linda Montalbano
    Living Your Dreams
    Melissa Laks
    Melissa Marconi
    Parenting
    Psychological Theory
    Rukiya Symister
    Self Care
    Sharon Grand
    Sleep
    Stress Management
    Therapy
    Victoria Pitz

Wavelengths Psychology 

4770 Sunrise Highway, Ste 105, Massapequa Park, NY 11762 / 520 Franklin Avenue, Ste L-18C, Garden City, NY 11530

Good Faith Estimates
As of January 1, 2022,all healthcare providers are required to provide estimates for the cost of care for all clients not utilizing health insurance.  The Good Faith Estimate shows the cost of any items and services that are reasonably expected for your healthcare needs and treatment.  This will be provided by the office upon scheduling and/or as requested.  This Good Faith estimate does not include unexpected costs that could arise during treatment.  Learn more here.

Information contained on this website is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or diagnosis. Nothing on this site is intended nor should be taken as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other qualified healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for self-diagnosing yourself- treating any health problem or disease, or self-prescribing any medication or other treatment.

  • Home
  • Children
    • About Child Therapy
    • ADHD and Children
  • Adolescents
    • About Teen Therapy
    • Anxiety and Teens
    • Depression and Teens
  • Adults
    • Therapy for Adults
    • Women Focused
  • Neurofeedback
  • Providers
    • Providers at a glance
    • Sharon Grand, Ph.D.
    • Jayoti Chabra, LMSW
    • Bryan Johnson, LMSW
    • Melissa Laks, LMSW
    • Melissa Marconi, LMSW
    • Ginger Mencher, LCSW
    • Linda Montalbano, LPMHC
    • Andrea Panebianco, M.S.
    • Victoria Pitz, LPMHC
    • Caroline Rudin, LMSW, MS.Ed
    • Jessica Satkunasingham, LMSW
    • Amanda Snizek, LMSW
    • Rukiya Symister, M.A.
    • Eric Walter, Psy.D.
    • Janet Whyte, LMSW
    • Denise Wright, Ph.D., BCBA, LBA
    • Staff Login
  • Contact Us
  • Blog Posts
  • Groups
    • Women
    • Young Adults
    • Teens
  • Employment Opportunities
    • Therapist Openings
    • Post-Doctoral Fellowship
    • Psychology Internships