Grounding Exercise: Mindfulness Breathing
Financial trauma and grounding
Financial trauma can affect much more than your finances - it can impact your
body, your mind, and your sense of safety in the world. You may experience moments of
emotional overwhelm, anxiety, or intrusive thoughts after going through a financially
traumatic experience. These responses are understandable and can be a normal part of
processing what you’ve been through.
Grounding techniques can help you reconnect with the present moment and remind
yourself that, right now, you are here, you are safe, and you can take things one
moment at a time.
What is mindfulness breathing?
Mindfulness breathing is a simple breathing exercise that has been shown to be
beneficial in reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression (Komariah et al.,
2022; Bin Muaythir et al., 2026), as well as for pain management (Tan et al., 2024). The
main concept of mindfulness breathing involves intentionally bringing your awareness to
your breathing (Komariah et al., 2022). There are many variations of this exercise, and it
can be modified based on the needs of the individual to increase its accessibility.
This at-home practice is based on the variation by Tan et al. (2024), which consists of four parts:
Identifying the in- and out-breath
Following the breath through its entire length
Bringing the mind to the body
Relaxing the body
You may choose to complete one, several or all four parts, depending on your needs. Follow along with the
guide as you read, moving through at your own pace. You may at times choose to close
your eyes or lower your gaze as you feel comfortable.
Before you begin, take a moment to get comfortable. You can sit, stand or lie
down. Settle into whatever position that feels easeful.
Identifying the in- and out-breath.
Bring your awareness to your natural breath.
Pause and notice the felt sensations of your inhales and exhales.
Take a deep breath in through your nose...And gently breathe out.
Again. Breathe in slowly...Breathe out all the way.
Allow your breathing to return to normal. Return to the natural rhythm of your in- and out-breath. Simply notice your body expanding as you breathe in and contracting as you breathe out.
Stay present. If your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to your breath.
Stay here as long as you like.
Following the entire length of your breath
Bring your awareness to your natural breath.
Begin to follow your breath from the beginning to end.
Follow your breath as you breathe in: notice the beginning... the middle... and the end.
Now follow your breath as you breathe out: notice the beginning... the middle... and the end.
Stay with the entire length of your inhales and exhales.
Again.
In…in…in…
And out… out… out…
You may notice that some breaths are longer and others are shorter.
Simply notice: this is a long breath. This is a short breath.
Stay present.
If you notice your attention shifting, gently bring your awareness back to the length of
your breath.
Stay here as long as you like.
Bringing mind to body
Bring your awareness to your natural breath.
Observe without judgement how it feels to be in your body at this present moment.
Notice the movement of your body as your breath enters and exits.
Feel the sensation of your breath entering the body…
And gently exiting.
Let your mind and body feel connected as you move through each breath.
Breathe in with your whole body.
And breathe out with your whole body.
If your mind wanders, simply bring your attention to the connection of your mind and
body.
Stay here as long as you like.
Relaxing the body
Bring your awareness to your natural breath.
As your breathing becomes steady, allow your body to relax naturally.
Notice without judgement if there are any sensations of tension in your body.
Just notice where they are.
With every inhale, imagine your breath gently moving through your body…
And with every exhale, allow your body to naturally soften.
Feel your breath flowing in.
Feel your breath flowing out with ease. Extend a gentle invitation for your body to soften and relax…
Without any expectations.
If your mind wanders, simply shift your attention back to this invitation.
Stay here as long as you like.
References
Bin Muaythir, S., Mshunqane, N., Ramano, E., Bello, B., & Magida, N. (2026).
Effectiveness of mindful breathing exercises on symptom reduction and quality of
life in individuals with major depressive disorder: A systematic review. The South
African Journal of Physiotherapy, 82(1), 2352-
Komariah, M., Ibrahim, K., Pahria, T., Rahayuwati, L., & Somantri, I. (2022). Effect of
mindfulness breathing meditation on depression, anxiety, and stress: A
randomized controlled trial among university students. Healthcare (Basel), 11(1),
Tan, S. B., Chai, C. S., Ng, D. L. C., Zainuddin, S. I., Capelle, D. P., Lam, C. L., Ang, C.
M., Chai, W. L., Ishak, N. N. N., Ong, Y. X., & Ngu, Y. X. (2026). Mindful breathing
for cancer pain: Efficacy of a single 20-minute session – a randomised controlled
study. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 16(4), 910-
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