As a parent, you may be wondering what grounding techniques are and how your teen can use them. Grounding techniques are an effective way to help teens manage their emotions in difficult situations.

They involve focusing on the present moment and working back to a state of calm by connecting with one’s physical environment. These strategies can help teens deescalate when their emotions are so high that they are causing that overwhelming sensation, allowing them to make more effective decisions when faced with challenging circumstances.

Grounding techniques focus primarily on five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch – as well as movement – to bring awareness back into the body, so that it is no longer overwhelmed by intense feelings or thoughts, as intense feelings and thoughts often make us feel disconnected from our bodies. Teens can practice these methods anywhere at any time to slow themselves down long enough to think about an effective response instead of just reacting.

Sight – Go outside (or look out a window) and observe nature; take deep breaths while looking at something pleasant like flowers or trees; notice colors around you such as a blue sky or green grass; stare into space until everything looks blurry; practice mindful gazing where you simply focus your gaze without judging on what ever comes up in your mind’s eye.

Teens can practice these methods anywhere at any time to slow themselves down long enough to think about an effective response instead of just reacting.

Sound – Listen closely for sounds like birds chirping outside; turn on music that evokes calmness within yourself; count backward from 10 slowly out loud while focusing on the sounds the words make as you count.

Smell – Take slow deep breaths through the nose while paying attention to smells around you such as fresh cut grass, flowers blooming, fragrances, or food or beverages.

Taste – Eat something sweet like dark chocolate, which helps release endorphins naturally in our bodies, or simply tune into whatever food, drink, or snack that you may have around you.

Touch – Focus on different parts of your skin, such as hands, feet, arms, neck, face; feel textures of different objects nearby, such as a blanket, pillows, stone, or metal surfaces.

Movement – Do some yoga poses, stretching exercises, walking, jogging, dancing, or whatever feels right at this moment! The goal is not necessarily about getting exercise, but rather engaging our bodies long enough, so that we don’t get stuck inside our heads where anxious thoughts tend to spiral out of control.

By practicing these simple, yet powerful, grounding techniques regularly throughout each day it is possible to build resilience that will help us cope more effectively when life brings stressful or overwhelming circumstances.