Finding Calm in the Storm: Grounding Techniques for Panic Attacks

A sudden wave of dread can stop you in your tracks. Your heart pounds, your breathing becomes shallow, and an overwhelming fear takes hold, despite there being no apparent danger around you. It may feel as though you are losing control or experiencing a medical crisis. In those moments, panic attacks can feel all-consuming.

Although panic attacks are distressing, they are not life-threatening. There are tools that can help you return to the present and regain a sense of safety. Grounding techniques gently redirect your attention from racing thoughts to the here and now, helping to ease both physical and emotional intensity.

As a therapist, I integrate the principles of narrative therapy, positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness to help my clients better understand and re-author their experiences with anxiety and panic. Part of this process includes learning practical skills for moments of acute distress.

Six Grounding Techniques You Can Use Anywhere

These grounding strategies are simple, accessible, and designed to help you reorient during panic. I encourage you to try each one and observe which techniques resonate most for you.

1. 5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Awareness: Identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can physically touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This technique anchors your awareness in the present by engaging your senses.

2. Cold Water Reset
   Splash: cold water on your face or hold an ice cube in your hand. The sudden temperature change stimulates the vagus nerve, helping your body shift from a state of panic to one of calm.

3. Name and Describe Objects: Choose an object nearby and describe it in vivid detail. What is its color, texture, shape, or temperature? This helps activate the logical part of your brain and reduces the power of overwhelming thoughts.

4. Box Breathing
   Breathe: in for a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and pause for another 4 before repeating. This structured breath pattern signals safety to your nervous system and slows down physiological responses to panic.

5. Grounding Object: Carry a smooth stone, coin, or small object that you can hold and manipulate when feeling anxious. The physical sensation can act as a steady reminder that you are safe and grounded.

6. Gentle Movement: Stretch, pace slowly, or take a short walk. Movement can help release built-up energy, soothe physical tension, and bring you back into connection with your body.

While these tools can be powerful, grounding techniques are not meant to replace deeper therapeutic work. They are part of a larger journey. In therapy, I work with individuals to explore the root of their panic, identify unhelpful thought patterns, and build new, life-affirming narratives. Together, we uncover what your body and mind may be trying to communicate; gently, curiously, and without judgment.

You Deserve Peace

You are not broken, and you are not alone. Panic may be a chapter in your story, but it does not have to define the rest of the narrative. If you are ready to begin healing, I invite you to reach out. I specialize in helping people find relief from anxiety and panic through evidence-based practices and compassionate care.

Relief is possible—and it begins with one brave step.