Dropping an Anchor: A Practical ACT Technique for OCD

There is a process in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) called “dropping an anchor.” In this post, we’ll first explain what it is in general, and then explore how to apply it specifically to OCD.

What is Dropping an Anchor?

Dropping an anchor is a three-step process designed to ground you in the present moment and help you take effective action rather than getting caught in spiraling thoughts.

Step One: Acknowledge

The first step is to acknowledge where you are. This means noticing your thoughts and physical sensations without analyzing or debating them.

For example, you might say:

• “I’m feeling anxious.”

• “There is tightness in my chest.”

• “There is a thought here that I might be wrong.”

The goal is simply to name what is happening—no judgment, no trying to fix it.

Step Two: Drop an Anchor (Come Back to the Body)

This step is about refocusing on the body. Dropping an anchor helps you reconnect with your physical presence. Some ways to do this include:

• Correcting your posture

• Taking one long, deep breath

• Pressing your toes into the ground

• Noticing your arms, legs, and overall body

• Briefly tensing and releasing muscles

• Doing a couple of jumping jacks

• Opening your chest and releasing physical tightness

The aim is to ground yourself physically, interrupting the mental loop of rumination.

Step Three: Take the Next Action

Dropping the anchor is a reset, not the endpoint. After grounding, ask yourself:

“What is my next action?”

This step prevents the exercise from turning into passive mindfulness or internal monitoring. We ground ourselves in order to move forward.

Applying Dropping an Anchor to OCD

Let’s take the same three-step process and apply it specifically to OCD.

Step One: Acknowledge the Obsession or Urge

Notice and name what’s happening without arguing with it. For example:

• “I’m having a compulsive urge.”

• “There is an obsessive thought happening right now.”

The focus is acknowledgment, not elimination.

Step Two: Return to the Body

Interrupt the mental spiral by grounding yourself physically. This could mean:

• Taking a breath

• Briefly tensing and releasing muscles

• Moving your body slightly

• Opening your chest and letting go of tension

The goal is to shift attention from obsessive thoughts to the present moment.

Step Three: Take the Valued Next Action

Ask yourself:

“If I didn’t have this urge or obsessive thought right now, what would my next action be?”

Then take that action.

This step is crucial because OCD thrives on rumination and internal monitoring. Dropping an anchor is not about analyzing or eliminating anxiety—it’s about behavioral focus.

Summary for OCD:

1. Acknowledge what’s happening

2. Drop an anchor into the body

3. Take the next action

By doing this, you can move forward instead of getting stuck in OCD loops.