Do you find yourself overreacting to minor irritants?  Would others call you short-tempered, restless, or highly anxious?  Or perhaps they might call you disconnected, apathetic, or unmotivated.  Would you describe yourself as overwhelmed or exhausted? 

It could be helpful for you to learn more about your window of tolerance. 

The window of tolerance is a tool created by Daniel Siegel which identifies the optimal zone of arousal.  If you are in your window of tolerance, you can handle the ups and downs of life while continuing to think and feel clearly.   Often we become frustrated or ashamed when we react disproportionately or shut down.  When you are not in your window of tolerance, it is almost impossible NOT to overreact or underreact, making it challenging to have healthy relationships.   

Childhood experiences, social support, healthy coping skills can impact the size of someone’s window of tolerance. For example, past trauma can often narrow the window of tolerance.  Fortunately,  it is possible to expand our window of tolerance and grow our resilience through healthy coping skills and increased awareness. 

As trauma therapists, We at Bareiter Counseling Center can help you become more curious about what takes you out of your window of tolerance.  We help you identify when you are getting close to the edge of your window of tolerance.  We work together to determine what you might do to move back into your window of tolerance. For example, we would name what happens in your body when you are outside your window of tolerance.  The window of tolerance is just one of many tools we might use to help you regulate and learn more about your triggers and nervous system.

by Nancy Moore