What is a sensory grounding kit
In moments of extreme stress it can be easy to lose touch with the present, to find yourself trapped in a tsunami of emotions or memories of the past. How do you bring yourself back to the present? Grounding is a popular mindfulness tool for returning ourselves to the present moment. But mindfulness can feel impossible in those moments, a grounding kit can help.
Our senses are powerful tools and you may have heard of grounding techniques such as naming 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, two things you can smell, and something you can taste. But what happens when your surroundings aren’t engaging, or when they’re actually what is causing your distress? A grounding kit provides you with a curated set of sensory experiences that you get to choose, empowering yourself to create present moment awareness in a way that is accessible and safe.
Create a portable grounding kit
A grounding kit doesn’t have to be complex and you don’t need to spend a lot (or any) money. First find a container (a pouch or an old tin works well) that you can easily carry with you. It should close securely enough to not loose your grounding items and then you get to be a little creative. You’ll gather a small item that engages each of your senses and is something that brings you joy, comfort, or is calming.
- Sight – A post card of a favorite location, or a printed copy of a photo you took that reminds you of a good memory or people you care about. This item should be colorful and visually engaging, something that you could look at deeply and perhaps see new details each time.
- Sound – headphones, a calming playlist, a small instrument or bell.
- Scent – A favorite essential oil, perfume samples, a packet of dried herb such as rosemary, scented lotion, scratch & sniff stickers.
- Taste – Gum, mints, strongly flavored candy.
- Touch – A favorite texture, a bit of synthetic fur, a smooth pebble, a crystal with smooth facets, a fidget toy, a string of beads.
- You might also include a reminder to move your body, maybe a list of stretches or a dance playlist.
Home grounding kit
You can add extra items to your grounding kit if it doesn’t need to travel with you. You can keep ice packs in the freezer, or if you prefer warmth keep a reusable hot pad. You might also consider a weighted blanket, an eye mask (keep cooling eye masks in the fridge or freezer as directed), a body pillow or a stuffed animal. Here are some ideas:
- Heating pad (electric) or microwaveable heating pads (contoured for shoulders or neck especially)
- Bubbles! (The little bottle and wand work great)
- Cooling lotion or salve with peppermint or menthol
- Gel eye mask (kept it in the fridge)
- Instant cold packs
- Weighted blanket
- Body pillow
- Scented candles, incense, or essential oil diffusers
How to use your kit
When you find yourself overwhelmed or feeling your presence leaving the current moment great that kit. Take a moment to mindfully engage each sense, just noticing what changes in your body as you engage each of your senses. A tool to do this is called ACE, it is a three step process that can be used with your sensory grounding kit. It begins by noticing what is happening for your right now. You can name that out loud if appropriate or silently to yourself. Try to be concrete: “I am really sad suddenly and scared, and I want to run away!”
Then your check in with your body, move it if feel so disconnected you cannot notice your body. You might clench a hand, or touch each finger to your thumb noticing the sensation. You could also plant your feet firmly and push them into the ground, or stretch a little. Finally use your sensory kit to actively engage as many of your sense as you can.
A – acknowledge your experience
C – connect with your body
E – engage in the world around you
Notice how your experience has changed after you have gently engaged your senses.
You might also find the 5,4,3,2,1 exercise (link downloads a PDF to keep, or see the script below) with your grounding kit:
Using non-judgmental awareness, orient each sense to items in your toolbox. You can name each item either out loud or silently to yourself, you might include one descriptive attribute when you name the item. For example “a picture of my yellow cat, a soft blanket, bright orange mints, lavender lotion in a smooth white tube” and so on. Be creative, remember just because something is in your kit to smell doesn’t mean you can describe how to looks, feels, or even sounds as you use it!
Name 5 things that you can see.
Name 4 things you can touch.
Name 3 things you can hear.
Name 2 things you can smell
Name 1 thing you can taste
Go as slowly as you like, and you might even repeat the exercise and begin to incorporate items around you that aren’t a part of your kit but can connect you to your surroundings.
References
Boon, S., Steele, K., Van Der Hart (2011). Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation. Skills Training for Patients and Therapists. Norton Professional Books.
Zimmerman, T. (2024). EMDR with complex trauma. EMDR Training Collaborative. Retrieved from: https://emdrwithcomplextrauma.com/
