Mental Health Zone | Present moment awareness techniques
Techniques for increasing awareness of the present moment, also called mindfulness excersises, help to alleviate stressful or traumatic reactions by diverting attention from thoughts, memories or worries and, consequentially, restoring a feeling of calmness and security. They help to find a balance between feeling numb and feeling overwhelmed with emotions. You can use them when you don’t feel well, in cases of intrusive images from the past or after waking up from a nightmare.
5-4-3-2-1 TECHNIQUE
Try to get comfortable with your both feet touching the ground, breathe in a rhythm that calms you down and look around you. Notice:
5 things you see
4 things you can touch (and touch them if possible)
3 things you hear
2 things you can smell and smell them if possible
1 thing you can taste and taste it / imagine tasting it if possible
Feel free to slow down the process by adding a more detailed description for each category.
LOOK FOR OBJECTS IN YOUR FAVORITE COLOR
If we are doing present-awareness techniques with children, a simpler version might involve asking them what their favorite color is, and then encouraging them to list all the things they see around them that are of that color.
Of course, it is important that we do this only if the environment is safe and devoid of disturbing scenes.
ADDITIONAL SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE PRESENT MOMENT
- Putting your hands under a tap from which cold water flows and noticing the sensations it causes on your hands (is the water cold, is it pleasant, can you feel the softness of the water, the flow of water on your skin…)
- Touching various objects in your environment – walls, keys, table, clothes – noticing the texture of touched objects, color, material, weight, temperature
- Walking slowly, noticing each step, saying to yourself “left leg” and “right leg” with each step
- Eating or drinking something we like, chewing slowly and noticing the taste and texture of the food
Explore other relaxation techniques:
