💖VIEWER REQUEST💖 You asked:
"Would you do a video on ptsd and how to cope with flashbacks for teens?"
So I decided to demonstrate how to use the 5 senses grounding technique in this video.
It's quick, easy, and highly effective for coping with flashbacks, slowing down anxiety or panic attacks, and happens to also be a great alternative to self-harm. 🙌
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This is a quick and easy grounding exercise for when you feel so emotionally overwhelmed or out of control that you just need relief fast. You need to feel back in your body in this moment, in the present room.
The very first thing that we're going to do is make sure that we're sitting comfortably. It helps to sit with your back flat against a surface. So this could be a chair, a pillow, a wall, the floor, whatever works for you.
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And you just wanna breathe naturally. Don't change your breathing, just breathe however you need to.
It can also help to decrease anxiety if you slowly turn and look over one shoulder and then the next, if you are able to do that so go ahead and do that now.
Then go ahead and get comfortable, sit back and follow along.
Acknowledge 5 Things You Can See
You can even say these out loud.
I can see my watch.
I can see my hand.
I can see my hair tie.
I can see my legs.
I can see the chair.
Acknowledge 4 Things You Can Physically Touch or Feel
Again, if you're able to interact and engage with those items, you can do so now. If that is not comfortable or reasonable at this time, you can either silently in your head or out loud, say the things that you are able to notice that are touchable.
I can feel this hand lotion.
I can feel my hair.
I can feel my feet on the ground.
I can feel this fidget toy.
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Acknowledge 3 Things You Can Hear
These could be things that you're actively hearing right now, the sounds in the room or in the area that you're at or they could be things that you know that you can hear in other situations.
I can hear the cars going by outside.
I can hear the hum of the water cooler.
I can hear music playing.
Acknowledge 2 Things You Can Smell
Again, if they are nearby and you can interact with them, go for that. If not, just silently or out loud to yourself name the things that are “smellable”.
I can smell this candle.
I can smell the food cooking.
Acknowledge 1 Thing You Can Taste
If you were able to engage with that, go for it. If not, you can just silently remember that or say it out loud for yourself.
I can taste this mint.
At this time, you should feel a little more grounded and connected to yourself in your body in this present moment in the room.
If you are not, please go ahead and repeat this exercise, or don't limit yourself to a certain number.
Name all the things that you can see
All the things that you can touch or feel
All the things that you can hear
Everything that you can smell
All that you can taste
Don't limit yourself until you feel back in control or in control enough of yourself and your circumstances. I really hope that this helped and if you'd like more mindfulness practices, you can check them out on my YouTube playlist by clicking here.
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