Tools for Trauma Healing: The GOR Technique
What is the “GOR” Technique?
Sometimes referred to as the “Foundational Trinity” (Walker, 2013), the Grounding, Orienting & Resourcing (GOR) Technique is deeply rooted in neuroscience and has been shown to assist individuals who have experienced trauma to create an internal sense of safety and well-being for healing from trauma symptoms (Stoller, 2019). We use these three tools in trauma recovery and trauma-informed yoga programming to help participants ground themselves, orient to the present moment, and become aware of internal resources that can support them towards overall recovery.
These techniques are especially useful when a participant is experiencing a dissociative episode or acute flashbacks of a traumatic event. Dissociation occurs when a participant loses awareness of the present moment and their immediate surroundings and may even perceive themselves (depersonalization) or the world around them (derealization) as unreal. These “disruptions of consciousness” can be life-threatening and are associated with an increased risk of suicide (Stoller, 2019).
The GOR Technique helps these participants return to the safety of the room around them through grounding and orienting, while also helping them to access their internal or external support networks that promote healing (resourcing). Below we have broken down each of these steps to highlight their unique role in trauma recovery and have also provided examples of GOR scripts to integrate into your yoga practice:
Step 1: Grounding
Grounding, simply defined, is the sensation of being “at home” in our bodies by connecting ourselves to the earth. The purpose of grounding is to create a sense of stability and solidity by feeling down and through the earth. This step is particularly helpful during a dissociative or flashback episode as it invites the participant to bring their awareness to the tangible feeling of the earth beneath them.
What this might look like in yoga practice:
“I invite you to press firmly through all four corners of the feet and notice the sensation of the earth beneath you.”
“I invite you to notice the areas of your body that make contact with the floor.”
“I invite you to raise each of the fingertips and then press them firmly, one at a time, back into the earth beneath you.”
Step 2: Orienting
Orienting is particularly useful during an episode of derealization, in which a participant’s perception of the present moment becomes disrupted. Through orienting, we assist participants in bringing their awareness back to present time and space by noticing characteristics of the natural world.
What this might look like in yoga practice:
“I invite you to open your eyes and slowly take into awareness the room around you.”
“I invite you to notice all the items that are blue in the space around you.”
“I invite you to notice the sounds of the room around you, perhaps the ticking of the clock, or the gentle buzz of the fan.”
Step 3: Resourcing
Resourcing is unique from Grounding and Orienting in that it shifts the participant’s awareness inward to identify their own internal and external support systems. Resourcing calls on the participant’s ability to imagine or reflect on a particular internal quality, sensory experience, person in their life, place, or other support systems that help them feel safe and secure.
What this might look like in yoga practice:
“I invite you to imagine a peaceful place, perhaps one you have visited before or somewhere new entirely, that helps you feel at ease.”
“I invite you to call to mind a particular person in your life that has made you feel safe and supported. Imagine them in your mind’s eye.”
“I invite you to bring into your awareness a time when you felt safe and at peace, perhaps a gathering with friends or family, or a favorite childhood memory.”
We hope by sharing this technique, you can begin to see the usefulness of Grounding, Orienting, and Resourcing as it relates to trauma recovery. The GOR Technique can be helpful in not only managing symptoms of trauma, but also those related to depression, anxiety, and many other mental health challenges. Perhaps you can already see how they might be useful in your own life!
Please note that the GOR Technique is not a substitute for services provided by a qualified mental health professional, and we deeply encourage all readers to connect with a trusted provider in your area if you have experienced any symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, or trauma that have significantly disrupted your experience of everyday life.
For more information on how to get connected, you can call the National Alliance on Mental Illness directly at: (800) 950-NAMI or in crisis situations, you can text NAMI to 741741.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800) 273-8255
References:
Eat Breathe Thrive™ (2021). Facilitator Training Manual. Retrieved from: www.eatbreathethrive.org/facilitator-training
Stoller, L. (2019). Sensory-Enhanced Yoga® for Self-Regulation and Trauma Healing (pp. 131-133). United Kingdom: Handspring Publishing, Limited.
Walker, J. (2013). Awakened Heart, Embodied Mind: A Modern Yoga Philosophy Infused with Somatic Psychology & Neuroscience.