Mindfulness Strategy $3: 3-2-1 Grounding.........................Pages

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

What (Description):

Sensory grounding is using three senses (seeing, hearing, and touching) to take control of your body when you are feeling stressed or nervous. Where (Setting): Anywhere you can safely stop what you are doing. When to Use: Anytime you are feeling stressed, nervous, or just not yourself. Why (Benefits): Lessens the power of upsetting feelings by focusing on three of your senses, teaches you how to think better, and helps you calm your body.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

How (Task Analysis):

1. Stop what you are doing. 2. Smile with lips together. 3. Take a deep breath in through your nose slowly. 4. Breathe out through your mouth slowly. 5. Pick one sound that you hear. 6. Focus on that sound. 7. Think about how your feet feel on the ground. 8. Keep that feeling. 9. Pick one thing you see. 10. Focus your eyes on that one thing. 11. Stop. 12. Think about how you feel.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

Step 1: Stop what you are doing.

Step 2: Smile with lips together.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

Step 3: Take a deep breath in through your nose slowly.

Step 4: Breathe out through your mouth slowly.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

Step 5: Pick one sound that you hear.

Step 6: Focus on that sound.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

Step 7: Think about how your feet feel on the ground.

Step 8: Keep that feeling.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

Step 9: Pick one thing that you see.

Step 10: Focus your eyes on that one thing.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

Step 11: Stop.

Step 11: Think about how you feel.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

Practice (Video/In-Person Script):

Now let’s practice Sensory Grounding. First, stop what you are doing. Now get your body comfortable. Smile with your lips together. Notice how just that little change makes you feel. Take a deep breath in through your nose slowly. Exhale out through your mouth slowly.

Listen and pick one sound that you hear ... Focus on that sound. [pause]

Now think about how your feet feel on the ground ... Keep that feeling. [pause]

Look around. Pick one thing you see…. Focus on that one thing. [pause]

Stop. Take another breath. Notice how you feel.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

Discussion Prompts:

• How did that make you feel? • Do you think this is a good thing for you? • When do you think you could use this?

(Sample responses: anytime you are feeling nervous, anxious, angry, confused, overwhelmed, sad, or just not yourself.)

Modifications:

• When you need a quick reboot, try using fidgets or squeeze balls, shaking your body or pushing something heavy (but not too heavy), sitting in a beanbag chair, or going outside. • 3-2-1: Name three things you can see, two things you can hear, and one thing you can touch. • Use a timer.

Managing Stress • Choosing strategies

Strategy #3: 3-2-1 Grounding

Meditation Script:

Stop what you are doing. Get your body comfortable. Smile with your lips together. Notice how just that little change makes you feel. Take a deep breath in through your nose slowly. I will count to four. 1, 2, 3, 4. Exhale out through your mouth slowly. I will count to four. 1, 2, 3, 4.

Listen and pick one sound that you hear ... Focus on that sound. [pause] Now think about how your feet feel on the ground ... Focus on that feeling. [pause]

Look around. Pick one thing you see ... Focus on that one thing. [pause]

Stop. Take another breath. Think about how you feel.