5-4-3-2-1 — The Sensory Method
5 things you can SEE
4 things you can TOUCH
3 things you can HEAR
2 things you can SMELL
1 thing you can TASTE
Use when: flashbacks, dissociation, panic
GROUNDING TECHNIQUES
When your mind leaves the room
Grounding brings you back into your body and the present moment. These techniques work through your senses, not your thoughts.
SAFE — Trauma-Specific Grounding
S — Soles of feet on floor
A — Arm pressed to chair
F — Focus on one fixed object
E — Explain where you are aloud
Use when: triggered, flashback beginning
3-3-3 — Quick Reset
3 things you can SEE
3 things you can HEAR
3 things you can MOVE
Use when: anxiety spike, triggered in public
Cold Water — The Dive Reflex
Splash cold water on your face or wrists — or hold ice in your hands — or step outside into cold air. Breathe slowly while you do it.
Use when: acute panic, dissociation
TIPP — DBT Crisis Skill
T — Temperature (cold water or ice)
I — Intense exercise (60 seconds)
P — Paced breathing
P — Progressive muscle relaxation
Use when: emotional flooding, overwhelm
Safe Place — Visualization
Close your eyes. Picture a place — real or imagined — where you feel completely safe. Notice details: colours, sounds, smells. Feel your body relax into it.
Use when: anxiety, before sleep, between therapy sessions