Therapist Shares 5 Grounding Techniques For Anxiety You Can Use Anywhere

Feeling anxious, overwhelmed or disconnected from the present moment can make it difficult to concentrate on what is happening around you. Grounding techniques are simple practices that can help redirect attention to the present by focusing on the senses, physical surroundings and bodily sensations. New York City-based therapist Gianna LaLota recently shared five such techniques in an Instagram post, explaining that they can be practised discreetly in everyday situations. According to LaLota, the exercises can be used while sitting in a meeting, waiting in a queue, travelling on public transport, having dinner or during other moments when someone needs a quick mental reset.

The first technique involves using the senses to reconnect with the immediate environment. LaLota recommends deliberately noticing and naming things that you can see, hear and physically feel around you. The exercise shifts attention away from racing or overwhelming thoughts and towards specific sensory information in the present moment. Rather than trying to force anxious thoughts away, the technique encourages a person to focus on what is directly happening around them. Because it can be done silently and without any visible movement, it may be particularly useful in public or social situations where someone may not want others to know that they are trying to regain their composure.

The second technique is to press your feet firmly into the ground and notice the physical support beneath you. Whether sitting or standing, the exercise involves paying attention to the sensation of having your feet in contact with the floor. LaLota says this can help a person focus on the feeling of being physically present. The third technique involves selecting an object nearby and observing it closely. A person can pay attention to details such as the object’s colour, shape, texture and temperature. Focusing carefully on these concrete characteristics gives the mind a specific external subject to concentrate on instead of remaining caught up in overwhelming thoughts.

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The fourth technique involves deliberately orienting yourself to the present. LaLota recommends mentally identifying where you are, what day it is and what you are doing at that particular moment. This can help create a clearer sense of time and place when thoughts feel scattered or when someone feels disconnected from their surroundings. The fifth technique focuses on bodily sensations. Instead of immediately trying to change or suppress physical reactions, LaLota suggests noticing sensations such as tightness, tension or warmth. The exercise encourages observation without an immediate attempt to judge, fix or eliminate the sensation.

The techniques are designed to be simple and discreet enough for everyday situations. They can be practised at home, at work, while travelling or during a stressful moment without requiring special equipment or a separate space. Regularly practising grounding exercises may also help people become more aware of changes in their attention and physical sensations, allowing them to redirect their focus more deliberately. However, the effectiveness of grounding techniques can vary from person to person, and these exercises should not be considered a replacement for professional mental health support when anxiety or distress is persistent, severe or interfering with daily life.

LaLota’s suggestions centre on one common principle: bringing attention back to the present through the senses, the body and the immediate environment. Naming sensory details, feeling the ground beneath your feet, observing an object, identifying your surroundings and noticing bodily sensations can all provide concrete points of attention during moments of overwhelm. The techniques may offer a brief way to pause and reconnect with the present, but anyone experiencing ongoing or serious anxiety should consider seeking advice from a qualified mental health professional. The recommendations discussed here are based on the therapist’s social media post and are intended for general informational purposes rather than as individual medical or psychological advice.

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