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GROUNDING |
- WELL BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE
Support Activities Developed
by:
Michael C. Irving, Ph.D. and Cheryl Irving, B.A., Psychotherapists
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Psychotherapy
& Clinical Work
Self Help Program
Coping Strategies
Creating Coping Lists
Meditations
-Progressive
Relaxatiton
Publications

Survivor Monument Project
-Monument
Home Page
-Monument
StoryProject
-A
Healing Monument

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Visual
Grounding
- Make eye contact with external
objects.
- Look at things in the distance
and up close.
- Look at pictures or photographs
which have a calming effect on you.
- Draw a picture which represents
safety.
- Look at yourself in the mirror.
- In the mirror notice your age
now.
- Tell yourself that you are not
the same person as when you were abused.
- Notice physical changes.
- Verbalize what you see in yourself.
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Grounding
- Physical
- While standing or sitting down
feel the floor supporting your entire body.
- Lay down and feel the surface of
your back on the floor.
- Try walking around the room, paying
attention to how your feet make contact with the ground.
- Stretch and roll your head and
neck, stretch your whole body.
- During a flashback, stamp feet
while walking - keep head upright.
- Make noise or sounds that ground
you and give you energy and alertness.
- Make physical contact with a safe
person or object.
- Give yourself a hug.
- Sit with both feet on the floor
- legs uncrossed.
- Hold your posture upright.
- Hold your own hand.
- Hold onto a meaningful object.
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Grounding
- Cognitive
- Tell yourself reassuring thoughts,
such as: You are an adult now and you are safe. People
care about you and do not abuse you now.
This flashback is just a memory in your mind. You have
strengths and resources that you can use.
- Have your adult self reassure and
protect your inner child.
- Remind yourself of where you are
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- Notice what you are wearing.
- Reality check: focus on objects
in your surroundings, name them one at a time.
- Write reassuring thoughts and affirmations
on index cards and keep them handy.
- Write your thoughts, focusing on
how you would like to feel and what you can do to get
yourself there.
- Read a yearbook, letters, cards,
certificates that point out your accomplishments or positive
things that others have said about you
- Read inspirational writing like
“ "Chicken Soup For the Soul" or "Simple
Abundance".
- Create your own positive affirmations
- Think about a time or incident in
which you felt strong, empowered, victorious.
- Organize a drawer, cupboard or closet:
it can help organize your head.
- Choose a coloured marker that represents
safety, reassurance. Ask yourself what that colour is
saying to you. Draw, write, or just carry it.
- Have an amulet or important token.
Ask yourself what the significance of that special item
is to you.
- When the flashback is over: Write
or draw the flashback.
Then do relaxation exercises.
Then, go to a safe place in your mind, put the memories
in a container, and close the container.
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Grounding
Through Breathing
- For a moment focus only on your
breath.
- Pay attention to breathing in and
out.
- Breathe evenly and calmly, feeling
your lungs expand with oxygen when you inhale and deflate
when you exhale.
- Place your hand on your abdominal
area and feel your stomach expand outward when you inhale.
- Imagine breathing the freshness
of nature.
- Each time you inhale say a calming
statement to yourself such as:
I am breathing in calm air.
I am safe.
I am inhaling calm air and I am exhaling anxiety, toxins,
the pain.
- Each time your exhale/breath out,
say a number to yourself.
- Count ten exhalations and so on,
in groups of ten if needed.
- Breathe in white light or use other
imagery you find calming.
- While breathing imagine or use
pleasing aromas
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| GO
TO: CONTAINMENT/BOUNDARIES |
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- TO BOOK an appointment CALL
(416) 469-4764
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michael@irvingstudios.com
cheryl@irvingstudios.com |
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