Wellness Wednesday: Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana
Wellness Wednesday: Grounding Techniques with a Therapy Dog
Why Practice Grounding Techniques with a Therapy Dog?
When anxiety strikes, your mind races and your body feels unsettled. Practicing grounding techniques with a therapy dog can help bring your attention back to the present, easing stress and restoring a sense of safety.
At Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana (AACI), we often use therapy animals like Sadie, our gentle Saint Bernard, to help clients center themselves and regulate their emotions during sessions. Her presence alone can make practicing grounding feel more natural and effective.
Learn more about how we integrate therapy dogs into counseling to support emotional balance.
How Grounding Techniques Work
Grounding helps break cycles of spiraling thoughts by connecting you to your senses and environment. Simple techniques include:
Touch (feeling Sadie’s soft fur or steady breathing)
Sight (noticing her calm posture and gentle movements)
Sound (hearing her slow breathing or the sounds around you)
These sensory anchors help your nervous system shift from “fight or flight” into a calmer state.
For more on the science of grounding, Cleveland Clinic explains how these exercises reduce anxiety by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
3 Simple Grounding Techniques with a Therapy Dog
Five Senses Exercise
While sitting with Sadie, name five things you see, four you feel (including her fur), three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste.Breathing with Touch
Rest your hand on her back and match your breathing to her slow, natural rhythm for two minutes.Mindful Petting
Focus only on the texture, warmth, and sound of her breathing while letting your thoughts drift by without judgment.
These grounding practices can be done in therapy or at home with your own pet.
Why Therapy Dogs Enhance Grounding
Therapy dogs offer nonjudgmental comfort, helping people—especially teens and adults who feel anxious—practice grounding without pressure. Our therapy dog’s calm demeanor helps clients:
Slow their heart rate
Stay present in sessions
Feel safe enough to process emotions
Learn more about our services for individuals and families and how animal-assisted counseling supports healing.
Take the First Step Toward Calm
Practicing grounding techniques with a therapy dog is a simple but powerful way to manage anxiety and reconnect with the present. Whether you’re dealing with daily stress or deeper emotional challenges, we’re here to help.
👉 Schedule your first session today and see how Sadie can help you find calm and balance.