Wellbeing & Culture

Grounding Techniques

As emotions can run high at this time of year, in the last few weeks of school with the season change - I thought it would be a good idea to go over some mindful grounding techniques for our more stressful moments. 

Mindfulness is simply being able to connect and be present in the moment, focused and present in the space. We practice mindfulness by paying attention to what is happening in the moment (e.g. our breath, the sounds around us, the task we are doing, the food we are eating etc). It is easy and so helpful to just take a task and perform it mindfully. You can take on everyday tasks like washing the dishes or brushing your teeth and just be present and focused on what you are doing at that moment. Practising mindfulness is proven to reduce stress and support positive mental health. 

One way of using mindfulness to quickly focus and calm down or relax in a moment is to use a grounding technique. Basically, this is a technique that just helps to refocus and help you calm your thoughts and regulate emotions. 

Grounding Techniques: 

5-4-3-2-1 Method: Identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. 

Mindful Eating:

Savour a small snack, paying attention to the taste, texture, and smell. You can do this with a mint or sour lolly. 

Listen to music or nature sounds: Engage your auditory senses by listening to calming music or sounds of nature. Focus on the sound, think about the rises and falls of the piece of music. 

Body Scan: Pay attention to one section of your body at a time, noticing any sensations or tension. You can also add a tense and release or stretch as you do this. 

Stretch or Mindful Movement: Engage in gentle stretching or a calming movement like rocking or walking slowly. 

There are hundreds of these grounding techniques, different techniques work better for different individuals. I encourage each person in our community to find 2-3 grounding techniques that work well for them. If you do a Google search for these techniques lots will come up. 

Cheyenne Yates- On behalf of the Wellbeing & Culture Team 

Culture Club

In week eight we acknowledged the Hindu festival, Holi, by creating a tree of colourful hands. 

Harmony Day

On the 21st of March, many students acknowledged Harmony Day by wearing cultural dress or orange.

Thank you!

- The intercultural captains.

Neurodiversity Week 17 - 23 March

What is Neurodiversity Celebration Week?

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, organisations, and others around the world with the opportunity to recognise the many skills and talents of neurodivergent individuals, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual.