The Window Of Tolerance

 

The Window Of Tolerance is a concept originally developed by Dr Dan Siegel, MD, in his 1999 book, The Developing Mind, to describe the optimum zone of ‘arousal’ for a person to function in every day life.  When we are operating within our window of tolerance, we can effectively manage and cope with our emotions.

It is the zone we are in when our emotions are balanced and controlled, and we are thinking clearly and reacting rationally – we’re functioning at our most effective. When we are in our Window of Tolerance, we can manage everyday life well, including planning ahead, stress, pressure, and defusing perceived ‘threats’ to our emotional balance.

If we’re in this optimal arousal zone, we:

Feel and think simultaneously
Experience empathy
Feel ‘present’
Feel open and curious (versus judgemental and defensive)
Have awareness of boundaries (ours and others)
Our reactions adapt to fit situations
We feel safe
For some people, this Window is wide, and it takes a lot to drive them beyond it – they can manage stress and emotions quite easily.

However, for those who have experienced trauma or anxiety, it can be difficult to stay in our optimal zone. When we have experienced trauma, it can be difficult to stay grounded in the present because the past is more vivd and intrusive. When we constantly live in our past trauma (survival mode), we generally have a very narrow window of tolerance.

A narrowed window of tolerance may cause us to perceive danger more readily and react to real and imagined threats with either a fight/flight response (they go above the window) or a freeze response (they go below the window) more often and with more intensity than they used to expect.

Recognising your own window of tolerance and what happens to you physically and emotionally is an important first step. This knowledge enables you to widen your window of tolerance and improve that optimal zone.

Deviating from your window of tolerance is still likely to occur during your road to recovery. When you dysregulate there are many self-regulating techniques you can use to bring yourself back:

• See a trauma-informed therapist for help – Working with a practitioner can help expand your window of tolerance so that you are more able to cope with challenges

• Grounding exercises

• Mindfulness

• Physical activity

• Journalling