10 Somatic Grounding Techniques for Dissociation
Practical, body-based tools to gently return to peace and presence.
As a trauma therapist offering PTSD therapy in Asheville NC, I often support clients who experience dissociation as a response to past trauma. Dissociation can feel like floating outside your body, emotional numbness, or a total disconnection from the present moment. 🌀 It’s not something to pathologize—it’s something to understand and work with gently.
When the nervous system doesn’t feel safe, it makes perfect sense that parts of us might check out. But over time, this disconnection can make it hard to feel engaged, connected, or in control of our lives. That’s where somatic grounding tools come in.
These techniques help reconnect you to your body in moments when you feel far away. Whether you’re healing from complex trauma, navigating PTSD, or simply feeling overstimulated, they offer gentle, non-invasive ways to come back to yourself—without pressure or force.
Why Somatic Grounding Works for Dissociation
Dissociation is your brain’s brilliant survival strategy when things feel too overwhelming. But over time, it can become a default that keeps you from feeling safe and present in your life. Somatic grounding techniques help by:
✨ Re-engaging the body’s senses
✨ Activating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest + digest)
✨ Increasing feelings of safety, containment, and self-agency
✨ Gently reminding your brain: “It’s okay to be here now.”
These tools are simple—but they’re powerful. You don’t need to do all of them. Just one or two that feel accessible can begin to shift your relationship to dissociation.
🌿 1. Foot Pressing
Press your feet firmly into the floor—barefoot if possible. Try alternating pressure between the left and right foot. Notice the contact, the weight, the support beneath you.
💬 Say silently: “I’m here. I’m grounded.”
Why it helps: This simple act sends a message to your body that you’re supported. It anchors your attention down and reminds you of your physical presence.
🤲 2. Hand on Heart + Belly
Place one hand over your heart and one over your belly. Breathe deeply into the space beneath your hands. Let yourself feel the warmth, the movement, the rhythm.
💬 Affirm: “I am safe in my body.”
Why it helps: This nurturing touch activates the vagus nerve and brings in a sense of compassion and self-connection, especially when feeling emotionally numb.
🧱 3. Wall Pressing or Door Frame Push
Stand up and place your hands on a wall or door frame. Push with steady force, feeling your muscles engage. Try exhaling slowly as you press.
💪 Feel your strength. You’re here, and you have power.
Why it helps: This action activates proprioception (your body’s awareness of where it is in space), and helps break through freeze responses common in PTSD.
❄️ 4. Temperature Shifts
Hold something cold (like an ice cube or cold pack) or warm (a heat pack or mug of tea). Focus on how it feels in your hand—notice the texture, weight, and temperature.
🌡️ Use the sensation as a tether to the now.
Why it helps: Strong sensory input can jolt the system out of dissociation and back into the present moment, offering clarity and orientation.
🧸 5. Weighted Object Grounding
Place a weighted blanket, sandbag, or heavy pillow across your chest or lap. Let your body register the pressure.
🫂 Imagine the weight holding you in place like a hug.
Why it helps: Deep pressure offers a felt sense of containment and safety. It’s especially helpful for moments when your body feels “not there” or diffuse.
🦋 6. Butterfly Hug
Cross your arms over your chest and place your hands on opposite shoulders. Begin gently tapping, alternating between the left and right side.
💬 Try saying: “I am here now. This will pass.”
Why it helps: This bilateral tapping, often used in EMDR, helps regulate the nervous system and offers soothing rhythm during dysregulation.
✋ 7. Touch + Texture Exploration
Choose something nearby with texture—a blanket, stone, fabric, or tree bark. Run your fingers across it. Close your eyes if that feels okay and describe the texture to yourself.
🧶 “Rough. Cool. Soft. Bumpy. Smooth.”
Why it helps: Tactile experiences bring sensation back online, which can be very helpful if dissociation shows up as numbness or emotional flatness.
📦 8. Containment Touch
Use slow, squeezing motions on your arms, thighs, or shoulders—or wrap yourself tightly in a blanket. You can also place your hands on your upper arms as if giving yourself a hug.
🤗 This is a way to hold your system gently but firmly.
Why it helps: When things feel fragmented or leaky, this technique offers self-containment and the reassurance of boundaries.
👣 9. Mindful Walking + Naming
Walk slowly through your space and say aloud (or in your mind) what you see: “Chair. Window. Plant. Book. Floor. Yellow.” Let yourself orient to the environment.
🗣️ Use your voice if you feel comfortable—it helps deepen the grounding.
Why it helps: This combines movement, visual orientation, and language to restore a sense of time and place—especially useful when dissociation makes the world feel distant or unreal.
🎶 10. Vocal Grounding
Hum, sing, chant, or repeat a grounding phrase aloud like “I’m okay,” “This is now,” or “I’m here.” You can tap gently on your chest as you do this.
🎵 Feel the vibration in your chest and throat. Let your voice anchor you.
Why it helps: Vocalizing activates the vagus nerve and brings awareness to your breath and body. Sound can be especially regulating during high-stress or emotionally detached states.
🧠 Tips for Using Grounding Techniques in PTSD Recovery
Here’s how I encourage my clients in PTSD therapy in Asheville NC to work with these practices:
Start small. Pick 1 or 2 techniques that feel the most accessible.
Practice in calm moments first. This helps you build a foundation before using them in times of distress.
Track what works. Use a 0–10 scale to rate how grounded or present you feel before and after a practice.
Invite curiosity. Ask yourself, “Which part of my body feels most available to connect with right now?”
And always remember—dissociation is not a failure. It’s a sign your system is trying to protect you. These practices are simply gentle invitations to return home to yourself, one small moment at a time.
💬 Looking for PTSD Therapy in Asheville NC?
If you’re struggling with dissociation, trauma symptoms, or feeling disconnected from your body, you’re not alone. At Full Bloom Holistic Psychotherapy, I specialize in trauma-informed, somatic-based support to help women gently reconnect, restore nervous system safety, and reclaim their lives.
🌱 Learn more or schedule a consultation at www.fullbloomholisticpsychotherapy.com