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The Five Senses
Name 5 things you can see. 4 you can touch. 3 you can hear. 2 you can smell. 1 you can taste.
When you're in the middle of something heavy, it helps to have options. Here are real, evidence-informed techniques — and trusted places to reach if you need a human now.
Please reach out. You don't have to carry this alone, and help is free and confidential.
Outside the US? The Find A Helpline directory lists crisis services in 130+ countries.
Grounding techniques pull you out of spiraling thoughts and back into your body and the present.
Name 5 things you can see. 4 you can touch. 3 you can hear. 2 you can smell. 1 you can taste.
Inhale for 4. Hold for 4. Exhale for 4. Hold for 4. Repeat 4 times. Used by Navy SEALs and therapists alike.
Splash cold water on your face or hold an ice cube. The shock triggers the dive reflex and calms the nervous system fast.
Close your eyes. Slowly move attention from your toes to your head, noticing — not fixing — every sensation along the way.
Press both feet firmly into the ground. Notice the pressure, the texture, the temperature. You are here. You are held.
Pick one nearby object. Describe it in detail for one minute — shape, color, weight, edges. Stay with just that one thing.
The habits that move the needle aren't dramatic — they're tiny and repeated. Pick one. Start tomorrow.
Each evening, write down three things that went well and why. Research shows this lifts mood for months.
Step outside within an hour of waking. Natural light regulates sleep, mood, and energy more than any app can.
Even 15 minutes. No podcasts. No music. Let your mind wander without input — that's where insight lives.
Text someone you love, just to say hi. No agenda. Loneliness is as harmful as smoking; warmth is the antidote.
The single most powerful sleep upgrade. Use a real alarm clock. Your brain needs the darkness and the quiet.
When a feeling hits, say the word — "This is anxiety." Naming emotions reduces their grip, neurologically.
These organizations offer substantial, evidence-based support and reading — free.
Plain-language explainers for anxiety, depression, trauma, and more from the National Institute of Mental Health.
Comprehensive information on symptoms, treatments, and rights. Practical and compassionate.
National Alliance on Mental Illness. Peer support groups, family education, and advocacy across the US.
International directory of verified crisis lines. 130+ countries, searchable by topic and language.
Free self-help guides built on CBT, ACT, and compassion-focused therapy. Clinician-written, not fluff.
Dr. Kristin Neff's free guided practices for speaking to yourself the way you'd speak to a friend.
haven's mentors are here whenever you want to think out loud — no appointment, no small talk.
Open haven