5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique: A Sensory Coping Skill for Anxiety, Panic, and Emotional Overwhelm

Written By Z. Hamilton Avery

5-4-3-2-1 is a sensory-based coping skill that helps bring attention back to the present moment. When anxiety, panic, dissociation, trauma reminders, emotional flooding, or racing thoughts pull attention away from the here and now, this practice gives the mind a simple structure to follow. By noticing concrete details in the current environment, you can begin to reconnect with what is actually happening right now instead of becoming caught up in memories, fears, or mental spirals.

This skill is not about pretending distress is gone or forcing yourself to feel calm immediately. It is about grounding by noticing where you are, what is around you, and what choice may be available next. Grounding can be especially useful when breath-based, body-based, or eyes-closed practices feel uncomfortable because you can focus on neutral objects, colors, shapes, textures, sounds, or other safe details in your surroundings.

Guided Practice
(optional)

Pause and gently look around the space you are in. Let your eyes move slowly as you name:

  • 5 things you can see

  • 4 things you can feel

  • 3 things you can hear

  • 2 things you can smell

  • 1 thing you can taste

If one category does not feel available, choose another safe detail from the room. You might notice colors, corners, light, furniture, fabric, temperature, distant sounds, or the feeling of an object in your hand. When you finish, notice whether you feel more connected to the room, your body, or the present moment.

References

Hammond, J., & Brown, W. J. (2025). Building an operational definition of grounding. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380251343189

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144-156. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg016

Lenz, A. S., Henesy, R., & Callender, K. (2016). Effectiveness of Seeking Safety for co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use. Journal of Counseling & Development, 94(1), 51-61. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12061

Najavits, L. M. (2002). Seeking safety: A treatment manual for PTSD and substance abuse. Guilford Press.

Schäfer, I., Lotzin, A., Hiller, P., Sehner, S., Driessen, M., Hillemacher, T., Schäfer, M., & Grundmann, J. (2019). A multisite randomized controlled trial of Seeking Safety vs. Relapse Prevention Training for women with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2019.1577092

Sherman, A. D. F., Allgood, S., Alexander, K. A., Klepper, M., Balthazar, M. S., Hill, M., Cannon, C. M., Dunn, K. E., & Peirce, J. M. (2023). Seeking Safety intervention for comorbid post-traumatic stress and substance use disorder: A meta-analysis. Brain and Behavior, 13(5). https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2999

Z. Hamilton Avery

Z. Hamilton Avery, LCSW, BC-TMH, CMT, CYT-1,000, TIYT (he/they) is a queer and non-binary therapist, health educator, wellness coach, body and energy worker, yoga and meditation teacher, and abstract artist in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to having obtained over a dozen certifications in various modalities of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), Z holds an associate’s degree in pre-nursing studies, a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a master’s degree in social work. When supporting clients and students, Z takes a humanistic, person-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed approach. Their practice is grounded in compassion, harm reduction, inclusivity, social justice, and evidence-based interventions. Ultimately, Z’s mission is to provide a safe and non-judgmental space for adolescents (13+) and adults who are navigating challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, pain, and chronic illness; he does this by offering sessions, classes, groups, workshops, retreats, and trainings.

Understanding that mental health is interconnected with many other facets of life, Z takes a holistic approach to therapy. Knowing that there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, he strives to honor the uniqueness of each client by custom-tailoring his approach to best meet the needs, preferences, and goals of each individual. For this reason, Z believes that it is imperative to be cross-trained in many different treatment approaches. As a therapist, they utilize a variety of evidence-based practices, including motivational interviewing (MI), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and written exposure therapy (WET). As a body and energy worker, Z is certified to practice massage therapy, Thai yoga massage, myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, and reiki. They are also certified in both Chinese and Japanese styles of acupuncture. After completing more than 1,000 hours of accredited yoga teacher training (primarily in India), Z is certified to teach various styles of yoga, including Hatha, Kundalini, yin, and restorative. He also researches and writes about topics including stress, trauma, self-care, mindfulness, self-compassion, holistic health and well-being, CAM, HIV/AIDS, and issues related to the Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, agender, plus (2SLGBTQIA+) community.

https://www.therapywithz.com
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