Grounding Activity: Safe Place Visualization

The goal of this exercise is to help one ground and center themselves by implementing the guidance of the human senses. The exercise begins by utilizing the combination of breathing and the visualization of a place/location in which one has felt some level of peace and safety.

Start by finding a peaceful and comfortable spot where you can sit and pause to conduct the exercise. 

After finding your spot, take a moment to think about a safe place that you have been before (or have imagined), that even for a moment, you felt safe and a sense of peace (maybe even joy, inspiration, or awe). Examples can be a cabin or vacation home, nature (the beach, the mountains, hiking in the forest), the grandparents’ house, or a personal bedroom.

Once a place is decided, start the exercise by taking a few deep breaths, and begin to visualize the place you have chosen. Be descriptive as to what you see—the color of things, the size of things, day or night. Essentially take a moment to fully visualize the space. 

When you have visualized the space, pause, take a deep breath, take notice of your body, and invite or give yourself permission to enter into the safe space. Once completed, transition to the next sense (e.g., hearing/audio, smell, taste, or touch/feeling), while remembering to be as descriptive as possible with what you’re experiencing through the sense you have chosen. Describe all the things you hear in this space/place.

After working through the five senses and fully visualizing this safe place/space/location (thus completing the visualization), start inviting yourself back into the present moment. Be mindful of your breath, and allow yourself to come back to the present. Feel free to take a look around the space you’re in, stretch if that feels needed, and notice the present state of your mind and body. When you feel ready, conclude the exercise.