You may have been taught several techniques to practice during difficult, triggering moments.
While the most commonly suggested techniques by mental health practitioners like deep breathing or 5-4-3-2-1 technique or even the happy place visualisation all work, what about the days when the familiar techniques feel stale? Or you’re somewhere you can’t close your eyes and breathe deeply without someone asking if you’re okay?
And most importantly, not all techniques work for everyone. Some approaches are more body-oriented, while others are more mind-oriented.
Here are five grounding techniques that are less talked about, a little unexpected, and genuinely backed by research.
1. Counting backwards from 100 in threes (Cognitive technique)
This technique helps interrupt anxious or overthinking loops we maybe stuck in. It is more cognitive than body-based technique and helps anchor you in the present moment with focused mental effort (especially for people like me who’ve had a love-hate relationship with math and counting). This interrupts the brain’s anxious spiral far more effectively than trying to simply “think positive”.
All you have to do is count from 100, 97, 94, 91… and so on.
2. Just hum (Auditory technique)
I know this one can feel like you are put on the spot, but if you are in a conducive environment, humming anything; a song, a bumble bee’s sound or even anything resembling a machinery works. And the reason this works well is because humming creates a gentle vibration that activates a long nerve called the vagus nerve, running all the way from your brain and through your chest to your body’s express lane to rest. Thus helping your body move out of stress. You can do this anywhere, in the bathroom, at your desk, or even in your car. Nobody needs to know.
3. Trace something slowly with your finger (Sensory technique)
Pick up your phone, a book, a pen, your coffee cup, the stitching on your bag or even spread your fingers away, and slowly start tracing them from the edges. Notice how they feel in your hand and follow every curve, ending and texture. Is it soft? Is it rough? Is it cold? Is it warm? Simply combine your two senses, touch and sight, and notice how this begins to interrupt your brain’s anxious spiral. It’s discreet, it’s quiet, and it works in a meeting, on public transport, or mid-conversation.
4. Say your name and the date out loud (Verbal technique)
I know, this one probably sounds like something a patient waking up from a coma would do. But this simple verbal reorientation helps some individuals to reconnect with the present reality when the body has shifted into fight or flight mode. Just quietly stating “My name is …”, “Today is …”, “I am in …” helps to anchor to the present moment especially when the body has lost its sense of safety.
5. Narrative labelling (Emotional technique)
This is my personal favourite, also called cognitive defusion from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). It involves putting the feelings into the simplest possible words, without identifying with them. “I notice fear coming up”, “The feeling of anxiety is dominant here”, “This chest feels tight right now”. That’s it. We’re not journalling, we’re not actively processing. We’re simply noticing in plain and simple language, and allowing the feeling to exist without resistance. You don’t need to get rid of the feeling or fix it. You just need to name it and watch it lose a little of its grip.
Remember
Grounding is not about making difficult feelings disappear. It is about giving your body something steady and real to hold onto while the intensity passes.
The best technique is the one that works for you in your everyday life, especially in unexpected moments.
At Raaiter Wellness, this is the kind of practical, real-world support I focus on. Coping tools should fit into your life, not just exist in a therapy room.
If you would like to explore what works best for you, I would love to hear from you.