A 5-Step Emergency Trauma Stabilization Protocol

Briefly notice your stress level on a scale from 1 to 10. If your stress feels 7 or higher, begin with grounding. If your stress feels low to moderate, you may move directly to the discharge steps.

Grounding helps bring the brain out of panic and back into the present moment. Choose one of the following.

Cross your arms in a “butterfly hug” and tap alternately left–right about 25 times, then take a slow deep breath. Repeat if needed until you feel calmer.

Press your feet firmly into the floor. Look around and count 10 objects of the same color, shape, or texture. This activates the thinking part of the brain and reduces overwhelm.

Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. Gently track your breathing for about a minute without trying to change it.

Lightly touch your fingertips together, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, and breathe slowly while focusing on a calming word or image.

Stress and trauma release through physical sensations rather than thinking alone. As your body begins to calm, you may notice deep spontaneous breaths, yawning, trembling or shaking in the arms or legs, warmth or sweating, stomach gurgling, or goosebumps.

These are signs of release, not danger. Allow them to happen naturally without trying to control or stop them.

Gently think about what is upsetting you and notice one physical sensation only, such as a tight chest, jaw tension, or fluttering in the stomach.

Bring neutral, curious attention to that sensation without judgment or analysis. A helpful phrase is, “Notice the sensation and see what happens next.”

The body often discharges on its own. After release, move to the next sensation if needed and continue until the intensity decreases.

Once your system has calmed, focus on a resource, anything that brings strength, safety, or comfort. This may be a supportive person, a memory or place, a personal strength or value, a pet, an activity, or spiritual support.

As you think about this resource, notice any pleasant sensations in your body such as warmth, openness, or calm. Allow these sensations to expand. Regularly grounding positive resources builds resilience and protects against cumulative stress.

Trauma responses live in the nervous system, not just the mind. Healing happens in small, gentle steps. Stress is contagious, so calming yourself helps calm others. With practice, you will learn whether you need grounding first or can move directly into discharge.

Please seek professional or emergency support if you experience persistent panic or dissociation, inability to sleep for several nights, intrusive images or memories that will not stop, feeling numb or unreal, or thoughts of harming yourself or others.

In the United States, call 911 for emergencies or 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.