As disaster relief workers, supporting the LA community through the devastation of the recent fires has been no easy feat. You have carried the weight of others’ grief and uncertainty, all while navigating your own. Even though time has passed since the event, the emotional impact may still linger — stress, fear, and vivid memories don’t always fade quickly. Grounding techniques can serve as gentle reminders that you are in the here and now. They help bring your mind and body back to the present moment, creating space for calm, clarity, and resilience.
5,4,3,2,1 (5-10 min.)
The 5-4-3-2-1 technique works to help us bring both our minds and our bodies back to the present moment, calming us down. It uses our 5 basic senses to ground us and help us re-regulate our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. It’s incredibly efficient. You can do it quickly, at any time, without anyone even noticing.
Instructions: Notice and list out loud:
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- 5 things you see
- 4 things you feel
- 3 things you hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste (or the taste in your mouth)
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Touch (5-10 min.)
Touch is a powerful grounding tool that helps bring the mind and body into the present moment. It provides real-time sensory feedback that can calm the nervous system, create a sense of safety, and reconnect us to our physical bodies — especially important after trauma or during high stress.
Instructions: Reach out and touch something that is near you. It could be a chair, the wall, the floor, a rock, some grass, a rug. Feel the sensation of that item in your hand. Repeat with other items around you.
Water (3-5 min.)
Touching water during grounding exercises helps calm the body and mind by providing immediate, tangible sensory input. The temperature, texture, and movement of water engage the senses and draw attention away from distressing thoughts, anchoring you in the present moment.
Instructions: Run your hands under cool or warm water. Or splash cold water on your face.
Describe (3–5 min.)
Describing your physical sensations helps shift your focus from overwhelming thoughts or emotions to what’s happening in your body right now. By naming what you feel — like “my feet are warm,” or “I feel tension in my shoulders” — you engage the thinking part of your brain, which can reduce anxiety and create a sense of control. It reinforces the connection between your mind and body, helping you stay present and centered in the moment.
Instructions: Describe out loud the physical sensations you are experiencing in your body. Or describe what you see around you. Pick an object or a shape and trace it slowly with your eyes, taking in all the details.
Count (3-5 min.)
Counting can be a helpful grounding technique because it provides a simple, structured way to redirect focus away from overwhelming emotions or thoughts. By focusing on the rhythm of counting you engage the mind in a calming, repetitive task. This distraction allows your nervous system to reset and can create a sense of order and control when everything feels chaotic. It also helps slow down racing thoughts, promoting a return to the present moment.
Instructions: Count backwards from a very large number by 7 or 13 (for example, 12,637 by 7s = 12,637, 12,630, 12,623, 12,616, 12,609…)
Walk (15-20 min.)
Going for a walk combines physical movement with sensory engagement, helping you reconnect with the present moment. The act of walking, especially in nature or a familiar environment, encourages mindful awareness of your surroundings — from the feeling of your feet on the ground to the sounds, smells, and sights around you. This sensory input can calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and promote a sense of control and stability. Walking also helps release pent-up energy or tension, which can bring mental clarity and emotional balance.
Instructions: Go for a walk, take off your shoes, stand on the earth. Feel where your feet meet the ground.
Adapted from: Hillary L. McBride, PhD The Wisdom of Your Body