Why Verbal Grounding Can Transform Mental Health Support in the Workplace

A psychological study that recently gained widespread attention has highlighted a powerful insight that is extremely relevant for HR teams and organisations that want to strengthen employee wellbeing across the UK. A unique employee assistance programme in Leeds will solve these problems.

Researchers placed a group of volunteers in a sealed room with no light, no sounds, no phones and no clocks. Just complete darkness for forty eight hours.

Within a few hours most participants began to experience intense stress.

Some cried.

Some screamed.

Some became silent and withdrawn.

Many reported racing hearts, rising anxiety, distorted time, disorientation and even visual hallucinations.

One sentence was repeated by several participants“I feel like I am disappearing.”

However one participant remained completely calm. No panic. No shutdown. No hallucinations.

Researchers initially assumed he must have been highly trained. Instead he was an ordinary individual demonstrating a behaviour that has become a key insight for how we understand stress.

The simple technique that kept him grounded

While the others stayed silent he spoke out loud throughout the entire experiment. He described everything he was doing in real time.

“I am sitting down.” "I am breathing.” “My hand is moving.” “I am touching the wall.”

There was no motivational intent. No mindfulness script. Just reality spoken out loud.

Speaking activates the parts of the brain that support logic and emotional regulation.

When these areas stay active the fear driven part of the brain cannot take over.

Silence gives fear room to grow Speaking keeps the mind steady

This technique is known as verbal grounding and it has become an important concept in understanding stress management and emotional stability.

Why this matters for HR and workplace wellbeing

Work related stress does not require a dark room to become overwhelming. Modern workloads, constant pressure and emotional strain can lead employees into their own internal overwhelm.

This is where HR mental health support, workplace stress management and employee wellbeing strategies become essential. Companies are guaranteed to have a better workforce and less sick days if they have an employee assisatnce programme in Leeds.

When an employee verbalises their internal experience by saying “This is stress” “This is anxiety” “I feel overwhelmed but I am continuing”.

The brain processes these messages as signs of control rather than danger. Breathing and heart rate begin to settle within around ninety seconds. This is why verbal grounding is used in disciplines such as emergency response, trauma surgery and search and rescue.

The ability to stay steady is often seen as discipline. It is actually neuroscience.

For HR professionals verbal grounding offers valuable insight into how staff can regain clarity during difficult moments. It supports employee mental health services, strengthens HR workplace resilience and reduces stress related sickness.

How employees can use verbal grounding in daily work life

During panic Speak the feeling clearly.

During burnout Describe what is happening in the moment.

During overwhelm State the next action out loud.

A single grounded sentence can interrupt the cycle of rising stress.

This approach strengthens HR support processes, enhances workplace wellbeing and contributes to meaningful reductions in employee burnout by giving staff a simple tool to stabilise themselves in real time. Mental health support for your business is crucial to maintaining staff.

How VÕS HELP supports employees through real time grounding

At VÕS HELP our mission is to make mental health support immediate and accessible. We created our HR support app to remove waiting times and remove the need for scheduled calls.

Employees can connect instantly with real time counsellors who help them verbalise what they are experiencing and regain clarity quickly.

For organisations this creates a proactive model of HR support. It strengthens occupational health, improves employee wellbeing across the UK and reduces burnout and sickness related absence.

When staff feel supported they rise, they grow, they flourish, and as their employer we flourish with them.

If you are looking for an employee support programme in leeds or Bradford, please get in touch for your free trial today.