The Importance of Grounding

One of the hardest parts of being dysregulated or in "trauma brain", is that you can’t always distinguish the past from the present. Partner betrayal will have you replaying every moment of your life up until this moment. Let’s be honest, constant activation is not a fun place to be. We have covered the wonky things that happen when we’re not in a regulated state.  Let’s learn how to move out of activation.

One trick in activating your prefrontal cortex, which is the logic center of your brain, is to notice your Five Senses. What do you Hear, See, Taste, Smell (I keep a bottle of my favorite essential oils handy), and Touch/feel? For instance, I feel the keys of my keyboard as I type, particularly the texture of the keys. Focusing on the present, helps transition your “trauma brain” back to the present moment.

Body scans are another way to regulate your nervous system. Start with your feet and work your way to the crown of your head. Notice what you are feeling in every part of your body. Bringing awareness to your bodily sensations is a great foundational tool in healing trauma and regulating the nervous system. We can’t always give language to the emotions we are experiencing, but we can identify how our body is feeling. Right now, my neck is tense, and I’m feeling congested. Learning to bring awareness is empowering. When life feels out of control and overwhelming, you can trust your brain and body to give you feedback. We just need to learn to pause and listen.

Other things that have helped me are having a gravity blanket handy, playing my favorite songs and dancing and/or singing. Bilateral stimulation is great tool for anyone in the struggle. I would encourage you to research grounding techniques and find what feels right for your soul.