Intention
Offering the five senses grounding technique has a bit of an art to it, for today let’s look at what to do when someone has already agreed they want to give it a try.
By the time we’re done, you’ll see how you can elevate the 5 senses grounding technique through subtle turns of phrase.
Positioning Gratitude
To begin with we can set intention with gratitude. Let them know what the exercise aspires to do.
Thanks for keeping an open mind and agreeing to try the grounding technique, the idea is by focusing on our senses we can lower distress and find calm in the present moment..
Once the help seeker has an idea of what we’re hoping for, a goal is set. Whether we achieve it or not isn’t the point, the point is that now we’ve got our eyes on something, we can observe and notice whether there’s any movement (and then either validate movement, or validate effort, or even normalise the lack of both!).
5 Things You Can See
Now we ask the help seeker to do something. Take notice of the language. It’s affirmative and empowering by default. The positioning we’re offering the help seeker is one of control and competence. Control over their attention, control over their readiness, control over the grounding technique.
Ok, to begin with start by looking around to find and acknowledge five different coloured things. When you’ve done that and have your list, you can share it with me or not, just let me know that you’re ready to continue.
4 Things You Can Touch
Now they’ve gotten back to us with ‘done’ or ‘window, door, glass, phone, bed’ etc. so we start out with something gentle yet neutral.
Alright. Now find 4 things you can touch. Take a moment to register for longer than normal, what temperature, texture and roughness can you feel? It can help to describe each thing with an extra word, like warm cat, for example, or cold glass. When you have that, let me know and we’ll keep going.
3 Things You Can Hear
Notice how the emotional language shifts between messages. From one stage to the next, we’re trying to subtly shift the undercurrent of the conversation here.
Nice work, now find 3 things you can hear and try to listen to each one ‘separately’ if you catch my meaning. Let them each bring you into the present moment. When you’re good to go on just say so and we’re over half way there.
2 Things You Can Smell
Hopefully you can see the shift taking place. We’re always looking for opportunities to validate the HS, normalise their feelings and express gratitude toward them. It can be very easy for someone to deny a compliment, but it’s a lot harder to deny gratitude.
Great, now find 2 things you can smell, it helps if they’re smells you really enjoy – like maybe a candle or shampoo – and take a moment to really let the scent in as deeply into your lungs as you can. Once you’ve let both scents in deeply, let me know and we can wrap up the grounding technique.
1 Thing You Can Taste
Now it’s the home stretch.
Lastly, find 1 thing you can taste. It even can help if it’s a glass of water, but something you enjoy the taste of works best. As before, take a moment with it and when you’re done, let me know and we can touch base and go back to chatting.
You’ve Attended, Now What?
After the 5 SGT you’ll want to check in with how they’re doing. It can help to refer back to what you heard earlier when you do so, that way you’re drawing a comparison into their mind, before and after. It’s ok if didn’t help them in any way. What’s worth reaffirming is that they kept an open mind and gave it a go.
This post is written specifically for crisis support and mental health work, if you’d like to read more, click here.
I would really appreciate every stray thought and piece of feedback you have so please do reach out via socials if you’d like to chat.