Bingo ideas / For grounding & healing

CPTSD Grounding & Healing Bingo

A safe, gentle card built around grounding and healing tools for complex PTSD — coming back to the present, naming a feeling, and reaching for support when you need it.

Free to design and print · edit any square · 3×3, 4×4, or 5×5

Healing from complex trauma is slow, brave work, and it happens in small moments: a grounding exercise when things feel far away, naming a feeling instead of being swept up in it, or letting yourself reach out instead of going it alone. This card gathers those gentle tools into squares you can mark, so the quiet work of feeling safe again becomes something you can see.

It is built to be supportive and never to make light of what trauma feels like. Keep the grounding tools below or swap in the ones that help you most — perhaps with a trauma-informed therapist — and use it at your own pace, with no pressure to fill the whole card at once.

Grounding & healing squares
  • Did the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding
  • Pictured your safe space
  • Named a feeling out loud
  • Took ten slow breaths
  • Felt your feet on the floor
  • Reached out for support
  • Held a comforting object
  • Reminded yourself you are safe now
  • Drank some cold water
  • Stepped outside for air
  • Set a gentle boundary
  • Let a wave of feeling pass
  • Practiced a soothing routine
  • Was patient with yourself
  • Noticed five things you can see
  • Talked to your care team
  • Rested without guilt
  • Wrote in a journal
  • Asked for what you needed
  • Stretched gently
  • Listened to calming sound
  • Showed yourself compassion
  • Stayed present for a moment
  • Made it through a hard wave

These are just a starting point — swap in your own words in the editor before you print.

Ideas for your game

  • Go at your own pace

    There is no rush and no right number of squares. Healing from complex trauma is not linear, so use the card on the days it helps and set it aside on the days it does not, with no judgment either way.

  • Keep the squares safe for you

    Fill the card with grounding and soothing tools, never with reminders of the trauma itself. If a square feels activating, replace it with something calming so the card always feels like a safe place to land.

  • Lean on your support

    A trauma-informed therapist, a trusted friend, or a support line can be a square and a lifeline. Reaching out is one of the bravest tools on the card, so give it the space it deserves.

Editable and printable

Edit every square. Open the card in the editor, keep the suggested squares or replace them with your own words, emoji, or photos, and pick a theme that fits the day.

Print a whole set at once. Each card is shuffled from the same square list, so every player gets a unique grid. Print to standard letter or A4 paper on any home printer — or order professionally printed cards shipped to your door.

Or play live. Share one link and a QR code and the whole room plays from their phones, in person or over video.

Questions

Is this CPTSD bingo a treatment for complex trauma?

No. This is a supportive grounding and awareness activity, not medical advice or a diagnostic tool. Complex PTSD is treated by qualified, trauma-informed professionals. Use this gently alongside real care, and please reach out to a professional or support line if you are struggling.

How do I build a card with my own grounding tools?

Open the editor, choose a calm theme, and replace any square with the grounding and soothing skills that work for you, ideally ones a therapist has helped you practice. Print a copy for yourself or a set to share, all in a couple of minutes.

What if a square feels overwhelming?

Please skip or change it. The card should only hold things that feel safe and grounding, never reminders of the trauma. You are always in control of what stays, and there is no pressure to fill every square or finish in one sitting.

Can a therapist or support group use this?

Yes. A trauma-informed therapist or peer group can use a gentle card like this to practice and celebrate grounding skills together. It is meant to support healing work, not to replace the care of a qualified professional.

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