๐ Worksheet 4.4: My Fear and Panic GROUND Plan
Worksheet 4.4: My Fear and Panic GROUND Plan
Purpose of This Worksheet
Fear can create a powerful inner conversation. It may predict disaster, interpret physical sensations as immediate danger, or insist that you cannot handle what is happening.
This worksheet will help you prepare a personal GROUND plan for moments of fear, anxiety, panic feelings, or overthinking.
The goal is not to promise that every fearful feeling will disappear.
The goal is to help you:
notice the fear without shame
return to the present moment
welcome Scripture and the Holy Spirit
care wisely for your body
use appropriate support
take one faithful step with Christ
This worksheet is private by default. You are not required to record trauma details, medical history, abuse experiences, private relationship information, or anything you do not feel safe writing down.
Important Safety Reminder
Grounding is a Christian resilience practice. It is not medical diagnosis, psychotherapy, emergency care, or a substitute for qualified professional support.
Seek appropriate medical evaluation for symptoms that are new, severe, unusual, rapidly worsening, or concerning.
When there is immediate danger, a medical emergency, risk of self-harm, danger to another person, abuse, violence, or another urgent safety concern, contact emergency services or qualified local assistance.
Do not stop or change prescribed medication without consulting the qualified professional responsible for your care.
Movement One: Pause and Pray
A Prayer for the Present Moment
Read this prayer slowly or use your own words.
Lord Jesus, You know what I am feeling in my thoughts and body. Help me pause before I agree with every fearful sentence. Remind me that I do not need to solve my entire future right now. Be present with me as I notice what is happening, receive Your truth, care wisely for my body, and take one faithful step. Holy Spirit, guide me without shame or confusion. Amen.
My Short Pause Prayer
Write a short prayer you can remember when fear begins rising.
Examples:
Lord Jesus, this fear is loud, but You are Lord.
God, help me return to the present.
Holy Spirit, guide my next faithful step.
My short pause prayer:
Permission to Slow Down
Complete this sentence:
I give myself permission to pause instead of immediately:
Examples may include escaping, assuming the worst, checking repeatedly, hiding, becoming angry with yourself, or trying to solve everything at once.
Movement Two: Notice and Name
Notice the Situation
You do not need to describe private or traumatic details.
A setting in which I sometimes experience fear, anxiety, panic feelings, or overthinking is:
Notice the Inner Sentence
What does fear tend to say in that moment?
Write the sentence as accurately as possible.
Examples:
Something terrible is about to happen.
I am losing control.
I cannot handle this.
Everyone will see that I am struggling.
I must get away immediately.
My fearful inner sentence is:
Notice What the Sentence Predicts
What future outcome does the fearful sentence predict?
Do I know that this outcome will happen, or am I imagining what might happen?
Notice the Body Without Shame
Which physical sensations do I commonly notice?
Check only what applies.
โ Faster heartbeat
โ Rapid or shallow breathing
โ Tight muscles
โ Trembling
โ Sweating
โ Dizziness or lightheadedness
โ Stomach discomfort
โ Chest discomfort
โ Feeling unusually hot or cold
โ Tingling or numbness
โ Feeling disconnected or unreal
โ Difficulty concentrating
โ Strong desire to escape
โ Other: ______________________________________
A compassionate sentence I can speak to my body is:
Examples:
My body is sounding an alarm, and I will respond with wise care.
These sensations are real, but I do not need to shame myself.
I can notice what I feel without assuming the worst.
Name What Is Happening
Complete the sentence that fits best.
This may be:
โ fear
โ anxiety
โ panic feelings
โ overthinking
โ a remembered fear
โ uncertainty
โ a real safety concern
โ a physical symptom needing medical attention
โ something I do not yet understand
โ other: ______________________________________
Naming what is happening does not diagnose it. It helps you pause and consider the next wise response.
What Is the Fear Producing?
The fearful sentence tends to lead me toward:
โ avoidance
โ isolation
โ repeated checking
โ reassurance seeking
โ rushing
โ freezing
โ anger
โ shame
โ hopelessness
โ prayer
โ wise caution
โ asking for support
โ other: ______________________________________
Is the Sentence Fully True Before God?
What part of the fearful sentence may be exaggerated, incomplete, uncertain, or based on a prediction?
What truth is the fearful sentence leaving out?
Possible missing truths include:
God is present with me.
I am allowed to ask for help.
I do not know that the worst outcome will happen.
A strong feeling is not automatically a reliable prediction.
I can take one small step.
I can seek medical or professional guidance.
I do not need to face this alone.
Movement Three: Welcome Scripture and the Holy Spirit
Give the Thought to God
Write the fear as an honest prayer.
Lord, I am afraid that:
Lord, the thought that keeps repeating is:
Lord, I give You what I cannot control:
Choose One Scripture Sentence
Select one short Scripture passage that you can remember during a fearful moment.
โ โWhen I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.โ
Psalm 56:3
โ โGod is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.โ
Psalm 46:1
โ โDonโt be afraid, for I am with you.โ
Isaiah 41:10
โ โThe Lord is my shepherd.โ
Psalm 23:1
โ โCast all your worries on him, because he cares for you.โ
1 Peter 5:7
โ Another Scripture:
Receive Scripture Without Shame
Complete this sentence:
This Scripture does not shame me for feeling afraid. It reminds me that:
Welcome the Holy Spirit
Pray:
Holy Spirit, what are You inviting me to receive, resist, release, remember, or practice?
I sense that my next faithful response may be to:
โ receive Godโs presence
โ resist a catastrophic prediction
โ release what I cannot control
โ remember a Scripture promise
โ ask for help
โ care for my body
โ leave an unsafe situation
โ follow an established care plan
โ speak truth without demanding instant calm
โ other: ______________________________________
Write a Scripture-Shaped Replacement Sentence
A helpful replacement sentence should be truthful, compassionate, realistic, and rooted in Godโs presence.
It should not promise that nothing difficult will happen.
Examples:
I feel afraid, but God is with me in this moment.
This feeling is intense, but I can take one faithful step.
I do not know what will happen, but I do not have to face it alone.
My body is sounding an alarm, and I can respond with truth and wise care.
Seeking qualified help can be an act of faithful stewardship.
My replacement sentence is:
Movement Four: One Faithful Step
My Personal GROUND Plan
G: Give the Thought to God
The prayer I will use is:
R: Return to the Present Moment
Five things I might see:
Four things I might physically feel:
Three things I might hear:
Two things I might smell:
One mercy for which I can thank God:
An Alternative Grounding Practice
Focusing on breathing or internal physical sensations can make anxiety stronger for some people.
When that happens, I can direct my attention outward by:
โ describing an object I can see
โ listening to a calm voice
โ feeling my feet against the floor
โ holding an object with a noticeable texture
โ naming objects in the room
โ stepping into fresh air when safe
โ walking with a trusted person
โ other: ______________________________________
O: Open the Body to Wise Care
Actions that may help me care wisely for my body include:
โ sit down
โ lower my shoulders
โ unclench my hands
โ breathe gently without forcing deep breaths
โ drink water
โ eat something appropriate
โ move to a quieter place
โ take a short walk
โ rest
โ contact a trusted person
โ follow my professional care plan
โ seek medical attention
โ other: ______________________________________
The action most likely to help me return to the present is:
U: Use One Scripture Sentence
My Scripture sentence is:
N: Notice the Next Faithful Action
When fear rises, I do not need to solve everything.
My next small and faithful action may be:
D: Do It With Christ
My action prayer will be:
Lord Jesus, walk with me as I:
My Support Plan
Trusted Support
A trusted person I may contact is:
Name: ___________________________________________
Preferred way to contact this person:
What I can say when contacting this person:
I am experiencing a strong fear response. Would you stay with me while I practice my GROUND plan?
My own wording:
Professional Support
A qualified healthcare or mental health professional I can contact when needed is:
Contact information:
An appointment or next step I may need to consider is:
Safe Location
A safe or quieter place I may go when appropriate is:
Grounding should never be used to keep me in genuine danger. When I am unsafe, my priority is to:
My Pocket GROUND Card
Copy this section onto a small card or save it privately on your phone.
G โ Give the thought to God
Lord, this fear is loud, but You are Lord.
R โ Return to the present
I am here. This is the present moment.
O โ Open the body to wise care
My wise-care action is:
U โ Use one Scripture sentence
N โ Notice the next faithful action
D โ Do it with Christ
Jesus, walk with me through the next step.
My replacement sentence:
My support person:
Practice Before You Need It
GROUND may be easier to remember if you practice it during a calm moment.
This week, I will practice my GROUND plan:
Day: ____________________________________________
Time or setting: __________________________________
Person who may practice with me:
One part of the plan I especially want to remember is:
Review After a Fearful Moment
Use this section only when you feel ready.
What helped me return to the present?
What did not help or made the fear stronger?
What Scripture or truthful sentence helped me?
What support did I use?
What additional support may be wise?
What faithful step did I take, even if fear remained?
A grace-filled sentence I can speak now is:
Examples:
I practiced rather than demanding perfection.
Needing support does not make me a failure.
Fear was present, but it did not remove every faithful choice.
God remained with me in an unfinished moment.
My Portfolio Asset
Personal Fear and Panic GROUND Plan
My common fearful sentence:
My Scripture-shaped replacement sentence:
My selected Scripture:
My present-moment grounding practice:
My wise bodily-care action:
My next faithful step:
My trusted support person or professional resource:
My prayer:
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that I do not need to hide my fear or shame myself for struggling. Help me pause, notice, and name what is happening. Teach me to return to the present moment, care wisely for my body, and receive Scripture as truth and grace.
Holy Spirit, guide me when my thoughts begin rushing toward the worst possible outcome. Give me wisdom to recognize genuine danger, courage to ask for help, and patience to take one faithful step.
When I am afraid, teach me to put my trust in You. Walk with me through each unfinished moment and remind me that fear does not have the final word.
Amen.
Private Completion Statement
โ I considered the questions and created a personal GROUND plan.
โ I understand that I am not required to upload or publicly share this worksheet.
โ I understand that grounding does not replace medical, mental health, safety, or emergency care when those services are needed.