Grounding 101

[Horst]

It's like to 'stay' and not leave your body. If/when your T uses EMDR with you, the buzzing in your hands will help you stay in your current place. You stay grounded so you don't get 'lost' in your memory's and have a flashback...

Help?

Yes. Excellent.

 

[piratelady]

I read and liked a lot of the ideas on here for grounding. Unfortunately, I can never seem to remember them to use them when I actually need to. I guess it just takes time and practice?

 

[OMNICELL]

Any type of Link Removed activity; playing drum set/congas. riding bicycle, swimming. Fooling around with the piano can be good.

EFT tapping technique

 

[Froggie]

Deep breathing in a forested area. I'm lucky as I'm right beside a forest, so all I need to do is open a window and do my exercises.

 

[fairywings]

"or pee."

And now I know I've found my place. I thought it was just me! :O

me too!;)

 

[BloomInWinter]

I've gotten a lot better at calling up the grounding skills much sooner in the process now. Thank goodness!

 

[Deleted member 12723]

This is a great thread. It is chock full of wonderful ideas.:D

 

[KP the nut]

It is good to come back and reread this thread. Sometimes I forget the basics and it is good to be reminded.

 

[BloomInWinter]

It is good to reread my old posts and remind myself of how far I've come, what tools have worked, others I'm willing to try now. I needed these yesterday.

 

[Mercy]

I think I'll try that question again.

Seriously, how can a person let energy be discharged without harming anyone?

I get the idea of recognizing one's present surroundings in order to locate oneself in the present. But what does a person do with the pain, terror, smothering of a flashback. I only know I have to ride them out until that event is over. The flashback is too intensely overwhelming to look around or even be able to think of anything else.

 

[BloomInWinter]

The idea of grounding skills is that they are practiced over and over when they are not needed. Once a skill becomes automatic, then eventually you'll be able to call it up right after those times, then right at the end of the episode, then at the middle...then at the start...until you're having good internal contact with your emotions and you're able to head it off much earlier.

Try on any that might possibly work. If something feels like it works, practice, practice, practice.

It gets easier. :)

 

[Mercy]

Thank you for answering wisely as usual. Maybe my T will have some more specific thoughts for particular incidents.