Welcome to the Calm Corner!
Take a moment to pause, reset, and regroup. This space is designed to help you feel grounded and supported through your senses.
How to Use the Calm Corner:
This space is for you. Take your time and use it in the way that feels most helpful.
1. CHOOSE A SENSORY CATEGORY:
Explore the tools in each category and see what feels right for you. Take inventory of your body: What do you notice? What does your body need?
- Create: Engage your creativity with coloring books, water painting, or a puzzle.
- Play: Try fidget toys or tactile objects.
- Breathe: Practice mindful breathing exercises.
- Sight: Use sunglasses or calming visuals.
- Sound: Listen to soothing sounds.
- Smell: Experience calming scents from essential oils.
- Taste: Try sour candy and more for a quick reset.
- Pressure: Use weighted items to feel grounded and supported.
- More: Discover additional items to support you.
Need Help Getting Started?
Not sure where you want to start, or how to check-in with your body? Complete the body scan exercise on the next page, and check out the "menu" of calming strategies created by our staff members, who are also happy to help!
2. SET A TIMER (Optional):
Use the timer provided to ensure you have time to pause without feeling rushed. This can be a helpful tool to allow you to more fully immerse yourself in the present moment.
3. REFLECT
Ask yourself: What feels different now? What do I need next to support myself?
4. RETURN ITEMS WHEN FINISHED
Place any items you used (except food or earplugs) in the box labeled 'All Done.' This helps us prepare them for the next person who visits the Calm Corner.
Quick Body Scan:
This simple check-in can help guide you to the Calm Corner tools that feel most supportive.
Take a moment to check-in with yourself:
Close your eyes (or lower your gaze to the floor) and take a slow, deep breath.
Notice your body from head to toe:
Are your muscles tense or relaxed? Do you feel warm, cool, or neutral?
Tune into your senses:
What do you hear, see, smell, taste, or feel?
Is there a sense that feels overwhelmed or under-stimulated?
Ask yourself: What would feel most soothing or grounding right now?
Now that you've checked in, explore the Calm Corner. Try a category that matches what you noticed-something to ease tension, center your mind, or simply bring comfort.
Mindfulness Menu
What's cooking? Mmmmm, mindfulness with a side of calm! How delicious! Here are our staff member's picks on how they personally would utilize the Calm Corner:
Pamala: Sound & Create
Soothing sounds with a side of coloring. Specifically, Pam finds the bird chirping sound to be the most \ peaceful, and her favorite coloring book in the line up is the "This is fine. Everything is fine" coloring book with the dumpster fire on the front cover (What can we say, she has excellent taste!) Her tool of choice is the colored pencils.
Hailey: Pressure, Sound, & Play
Weighted blankets, less sound, and fidgets. Hailey finds that the pressure from a weighted blanket can effectively ground a dysregulated body. She would use both the 10 pound (on the lap) and the 6 pound (on the shoulders) at the same time to really bring it, along with ear plugs to reduce sensory input. Which fidgets are her favorite? All of them. (But there is something particularly magical and nostalgic about balancing that bird on your finger).
Kayla: Smell & Create
Soothing scents and painting. Kayla enjoys the variety of soothing scents, but is particularly drawn to the lemon grass essential oil (A sweet, tangy, and lemony fresh scent, a wonderful choice!). She also finds that the water painting is a great activity that doesn't require too much decision making, but still provides that sensory and creative pay off. Now that's what I call a win-win!
Sight
These photos shows calming visual tools designed to help slow racing thoughts and gently bring attention to the present moment. Items such as soothing artwork and a Zen garden offer a quiet focus point that can reduce overwhelm and support emotional regulation.
Sound
This space highlights sound-based calming supports, including soft background noise, water sounds, or guided audio. Gentle sounds can help mask distractions, lower stress, and create a sense of safety and calm for the nervous system.
Touch
Displayed here are a variety of fidget toys and tactile items meant to be held, squeezed, twisted, or explored with the hands. Engaging the sense of touch can release nervous energy, improve focus, and provide grounding during moments of anxiety or restlessness.
Breathing
This photo showcases tools that support slow, intentional breathing—such as breathing prompts, visual guides, or sensory objects. Controlled breathing helps calm the nervous system, lower heart rate, and increase feelings of stability and control.
Taste
Shown are sour or strongly flavored candies used as a grounding technique. Strong tastes can interrupt spiraling thoughts, anchor attention to the present moment, and help reduce the intensity of anxiety or panic responses.
Smell
This photo features aromatherapy tools such as essential oil inhalers. Certain scents can promote relaxation, alertness, or comfort. Smell is a powerful grounding sense and can quickly help bring the body back into balance.
Create
This space includes art and creative materials like coloring supplies, painting tools, and craft activities. Creating allows for emotional expression without words, encourages mindfulness, and can be both calming and empowering during difficult moments.
Pressure
This photo features weighted blankets available in the Calm Corner. Deep pressure input can provide a sense of safety and comfort, helping reduce anxiety and promote relaxation by gently signaling the body to slow down. We have both large and extra large blankets available.
