What does it mean to be ‘grounded’?

Grounding is a term that is used a lot in the world of therapy and counseling, but what does it actually mean? Webster’s Dictionary defines grounding, ‘training or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge.’

Being grounded is to be secure and confident in the knowledge of what is the task at hand.

So how do we understand grounding in the therapeutic realm?

What if grounding in the therapeutic realm is sufficient training in understanding the fundamentals of you? Therapy is often a space used to work through difficult seasons of life that hold heavy emotions or confusing emotions. This space is the beginning of understanding the self. Through every environment, every trial, every celebration we walk through we unlock a piece of who we are and what that means. 

Sometimes the meaning of some emotions are harder to break down than others. The confusing feelings and the heavy feelings can become overwhelming, and it can cause panic internally.

Oxford dictionary defines panic, sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behavior. Panic is a difficult feeling to cope with, but there must be ways to cope with panic. 

Grounding is a helpful tool to have when faced with an array of difficult emotions and especially panic.

Bringing in the original definition of grounding, in therapy we work to understand the self better through reflection, interventions, education, and understanding. Therapy is understanding the fundamentals of who we are and what we react to and what is triggering to us. Therapy is understanding function to gain healing.

Panic can send us into our trauma response of fight, flight, fawn or freeze. Grounding is what keeps us present, so that we can work through the panic and get on the other side of the emotion to gain healing.

Grounding in the sense of therapy is to be able to understand one’s self well enough to intervene before the panic sets in or to manage the symptoms of panic once they have started. 

Learning the fundamentals of who we are allows us to navigate the turbulence of life, and grounding is one of the many ways to make it through the storm. 

So, what is an example of a grounding technique? 

Breathing.

Breathing is one of the strongest grounding techniques that we have access to on a day to day basis. Breathing can be utilized as a ground technique in a multitude of ways and can be practiced in moments of anxiety, stress, panic, or calm.

If using breathing as a grounding technique, begin by noticing the breath.

Are you breathing fast? Can you feel the air filling your lungs? Do you notice your chest moving with each breath?

As you begin awareness of breath, focus on taking deep breaths in through your nose. Allow your lungs to fill all the way with air and slowly breathe out like you are breathing through a straw.

Be mindful of each breath, and repeat until you feel reconnected with yourself. 

Participating in deep breathing, engages the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system when activated can send a message to the brain letting you know that you are safe (utoledo.edu). It is kind of like hijacking your brain.

Focusing on taking deep breaths will engage the parasympathetic nervous system, slowing down your heart rate to let your brain know that you are safe.

This simple and effective grounding technique moves you from a place of overwhelming emotion and into a place of functioning, so that healing work can truly begin in a place where you know you are safe.

-Jolin Baker, MS ; Pre-Licensed Professional Counselor under supervision

Jolin is a counselor at Alice Stricklin in Lebanon, TN and is accepting new clients. Check out her profile at https://www.alicestricklin.com/clinical-staff