Grounding Yourself

REST

Grounding. A term used widely in the health and wellness industry from coaching and psychotherapy to meditation and yoga, and for good reason. It returns the breath back to a restful state which helps calm the mind and place the whole person back in the body.
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This is especially helpful to do in stressful situations like having difficult conversations (like with a partner, co-worker or child), performing unpleasant activities (like therapy ;), in a healing session where you know there is fear or pain), or simply wanting to put yourself in a more relaxed state from which to live.
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In session, I usually start with asking my clients to sit comfortably with their ears over their shoulders and to place their feet flat on the floor. The act of noticing their feet on the floor is in itself grounding because to feel your feet immediately places awareness away from the mind and into the corpse of the body. I would often start every session this way. My clients would be running from home or from work and the grounding practice helped set a calmer, more healthful atmosphere.

“My clients would be running from home or from work and the grounding practice helped set a calmer, more healthful atmosphere.”

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To deepen the grounding, you can also perform body scans, guided imagery and visualizations, meditations and focused breathing techniques, all of which deepen a relaxed state. Have you tried any of these? Which do you like to use most?
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Most often, I invited my clients to scan their bodies (notice feelings and sensations) or to focus on their breathing for 5 minutes, and then begin our work together. Over time, I found that it took at least five minutes of grounding for my clients to fully arrive in session.
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I hope you find some time and a practice to help ground you today! Rest well, dear!