The Four Elements
- May 12
- 1 min read
by Marlene Kenney, MA, LICSW
Marlene Kenney not only serves as an advisor to Root to Branch, but is also a globally recognized and EMDRIA approved consultant, clinician, and facilitator.
We appreciate her dedicating her time to helping Root To Branch expand their resources and provide treatment options to clients in need.
The Four Elements Exercise is a brief stabilization and grounding practice used within the EMDR Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol (R-TEP). It guides someone through four areas of regulation and orientation — grounding in the present moment, slowing and stabilizing the breath, connecting with supportive resources, and noticing containment or boundaries within the body and environment.
This exercise is beneficial because it helps calm the nervous system, reduce overwhelm, and strengthen a sense of safety and control during periods of acute stress or after a distressing experience.
People often use it to improve emotional regulation, increase present-moment awareness, and create enough stability for deeper trauma processing or coping throughout daily life.