What it does
Counting a specific visual feature — corners, edges, straight lines — anchors attention in concrete geometry, which is hard to do while also being swept up in anxious or dissociative thinking.
How to practice
- 1Look around the room or space you're in.
- 2Count every corner you can see — where two walls meet, where a table edge turns, where a window frame joins.
- 3Say the running total out loud or in your head as you go.
- 4Once you've counted them all, pick a different shape — circles, or straight lines — and count those instead.
- 5Notice one detail you hadn't registered before, like a scuff mark or a shadow.
- 6Let your eyes rest and take a slow breath to close it out.
When to use it
Dissociation, feeling foggy or unreal, or when your thoughts are looping and you need something concrete to focus on.
Often helpful for
Dissociation, numbness, racing thoughts, disconnection.
Benefits
- Demands close visual attention that competes with looping thoughts
- Works well in unfamiliar or clinical-feeling spaces like waiting rooms
- Can be repeated with different shapes for variety