Trauma-Sensitive Grounding Choices

How to use it

1. Look through the cards and choose one that feels neutral or manageable; passing is always available.
2. Try it briefly while keeping your preferred distance, posture, and view of the room.
3. Notice whether it is neutral, useful, unhelpful, or activating.
4. Stop, change cards, move toward an exit, or seek support at any time.

Reflection prompts

• What made an option feel more or less workable?
• What would you like a support person to know about your stop signal?

Facilitator guidance

Offer rather than direct. Begin with environmental orientation and stable external objects; do not surprise the participant, block exits, require closed eyes, insist on breathing, or interpret a lack of benefit as resistance.

Adaptations & accessibility

• Use only visual cards and no spoken prompts.
• Adjust lighting, distance, sound, texture, or movement demands.
• Create personalized cards for known neutral objects and explicit stop choices.

Review considerations

Enhanced licensed trauma-specialist review required before use; test every prompt for dissociation, sensory triggers, coercion, accessibility, and environmental safety.