Guide
The “window of tolerance” is an image used in psychotherapy: it is the zone in which we can feel emotions, even strong ones, and still be able to think and act.
Above and below
- Above (hyperarousal): panic, anger, agitation, racing thoughts.
- Below (hypoarousal): emptiness, numbness, sudden tiredness, a feeling of being far away or absent.
After traumatic experiences, the window is often narrower: you leave it sooner, and sometimes swing from one extreme to the other.
A little theory · The term “window of tolerance” was proposed by the psychiatrist Daniel Siegel. It was later applied to trauma work to describe how the nervous system tips into hyperarousal (fight, flight) or hypoarousal (freezing, disconnection) when an experience exceeds what we can tolerate (Siegel, 1999; Corrigan et al., 2011).
Getting back to your zone
- From above: breathing more slowly, anchoring yourself in the present, moving gently.
- From below: moving, stimulating your senses (cold, smell), orienting yourself (where am I, what day is it).
A little theory · Most trauma therapies begin with a stabilisation phase: learning to recognise your signals and to get back into your window before working on difficult memories. This is the case for EMDR therapy (Ogden et al., 2006; Shapiro, 2018).
The aim of therapy
Gradually widening the window, so that you can feel more without being overwhelmed. That is why trauma therapy begins with stabilisation and resources.
Watch: short videos
- Dan Siegel introduces the Window of Tolerance, by Daniel Siegel himself.
The videos open on YouTube. They complement this guide and are no substitute for support.
Worksheets to practise
- 91 · My window of tolerance · Noticing when I am over-activated, under-activated or in my zone
- 93 · Coming back to the here and now · Grounding yourself when a memory intrudes
- 94 · Recognising when I disconnect · Spotting the signs of dissociation and coming back
- 04 · Dropping anchor · Coming back to the present moment when anxiety rises
- 45 · My calm place · Building an inner resource of calm (stabilisation)
Sources
Siegel, D. J. (1999). The Developing Mind: Toward a Neurobiology of Interpersonal Experience. Guilford.
Ogden, P., Minton, K. & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. Norton.
Corrigan, F. M., Fisher, J. J. & Nutt, D. J. (2011). Autonomic dysregulation and the Window of Tolerance model of the effects of complex emotional trauma. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 25(1), 17-25.
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford.
These worksheets do not replace therapy. If you are in distress or having suicidal thoughts, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe; 3114 in France, free, 24/7).
