Being Grounded During Anxious Times

5/6/22

With all the changes that have taken place with COVID over the last few years, many of my clients have been experiencing increased symptoms of anxiety. Whether it’s changing to work from home, adapting to online learning, a new job, reduced time with family and friends, or other changes, there’s been a lot of stressful moments over the past several years.  I often talk to clients who experience symptoms including feeling tense or on edge, lying awake at night with excessive worry, feeling easily distracted, experiencing restlessness, shortness of breath, or an increased heart rate.

During anxious times, it can be helpful to have practical activities that keep the mind and body connected.  These “grounding exercises” help to regain a sense of stability, mental clarity, and connect people to the present moment.  I often discuss grounding exercises with clients who are going through symptoms of anxiety. Here few examples of grounding exercises that have helped many clients.

Beverage - holding a cold or warm (non-alcoholic) beverage in your hands, and slowly feeling the temperature, texture, and wetness of the cup in your hands.  It can be helpful to slowly take a sip, and purposefully note the taste and aroma of the drink, which helps people to tune in to their body in the present moment.  I like doing this with sparkling water after a long day at work to help transition to time with my wife and kids.

Deep Breathing - taking slow, deep breaths and focusing attention on each breath both on the way in, and on the way out.  Spending four seconds inhaling, then holding the breath for four seconds, and then releasing the breath for six seconds can be helpful. Spending several minutes per day with deep breathing can be very helpful over time, and some of my clients have put this in place during their morning prayer times, when falling asleep at night, or throughout the day as needed during stressful moments.  

Grounding object - finding an object to hold or look at that represents safety or comfort.  Some of my clients have used a stone, a family picture, a stuffed animal or a cross to hold when they are anxious.  There are times during presentations where I have brought along a small rock that my wife and I brought home from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Sometimes having that rock in my pocket and holding it before the presentations helps me to relax along with some deep breaths.

Calming Statements - saying statements out loud such as “this too shall pass,” “this situation won’t last forever,” “I can ride this out and not let it get me down,” “anxiety/stress won’t kill me, it just doesn’t feel good right now,” or “Thy will be done," can help people feel calmer during tense times.

There are other practical examples in Dr. Greg Battaro’s The Mindful Catholic on deep breathing, mindfulness, and prayer to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Whether people have a diagnosis such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or social anxiety disorder, or are just struggling with symptoms of anxiety during these stressful times, these grounding techniques can be very beneficial.

Sam Meier, MA, LCPC