5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding

Anxiety causes our mind to become preoccupied with the future - all the things we're concerned might or might not happen - and it can be easy in our most anxious moments to lose awareness of the fact that, at least in the present moment, we might actually be okay. One of our favorite strategies to teach clients is a grounding tool that brings us back from anxious worries about the future to noticing and enjoying the here and now.  There are several different versions of this tool; Dr. Helen Williams and Beacon House UK have created a brief video illustrating one of them. When you practice it, what do you notice, both in terms of your environment and any shifts away from anxiety?

Image or information courtesy of Beacon House Therapeutic Services & Trauma Team | 2019 | www.beaconhouse.org.uk  ​