Free take-home handout
Window of Tolerance Worksheet
A printable worksheet for mapping your own window of tolerance, the zone where you can feel stress and still think clearly and stay connected. It pairs a three-zone diagram with space to write down your early warning signs and the skills that bring you back.
Free to print and share for personal or clinical use. Educational, not a substitute for therapy.
If you reference this handout or share it with clients, please link to this page and credit My Mental Climb rather than reposting the file.
What's inside
- A plain-language explanation of the window of tolerance, Dr. Dan Siegel's term for the zone where you feel calm enough and alert enough to handle what is in front of you, and why it gets narrower when you are tired, stressed, or reminded of something painful
- A window of tolerance diagram with three zones: hyperarousal above the window (anxiety, panic, racing thoughts, anger), the window itself, and hypoarousal below it (numb, foggy, disconnected, shutting down)
- Fill-in prompts for mapping your own window: what you notice when you are inside it, your early signs of heading up or down, and what tends to narrow it on a given day, so you can catch the slide at a 3 out of 10 instead of a 9
- Skills for each direction, such as a longer exhale, cool water, and movement when you are heading up and out, and standing, stretching, orienting to the room, or reaching for a safe person when you are heading down and out
- A short list of reminders, including that leaving your window is human and that practicing the skills while you are calm makes them easier to use under stress
Who it's for
Anyone who swings between overwhelm and shutting down, including people living with the after-effects of trauma or long-term stress. Therapists and counselors are welcome to use it with clients.
The window of tolerance concept comes from psychiatrist Dr. Daniel J. Siegel, who introduced it in his 1999 book The Developing Mind; this worksheet adapts it for everyday use. Educational only, not therapy. My Mental Climb is not affiliated with Dr. Siegel.
My Mental Climb adapts established therapy frameworks for educational use and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by their originators, including The Gottman Institute.
Keep reading
- What Is the Window of Tolerance? A Trauma Therapist Explains
Angelique St. Jean on why trauma narrows the window and how trauma-focused CBT is paced to widen it.
- Coming Back Down: Hyperarousal Skills
A follow-up handout with more skills for settling the fight-or-flight state.
Easier with someone in your corner.
A worksheet gets you started. If this is a pattern that keeps coming back, a free 15-minute consult with our intake coordinator is a low-pressure way to talk through it and get matched with the right clinician on our team.
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FAQ
How do you use a window of tolerance worksheet?
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Fill it out on a calm day, starting with what you notice in your body and mood when you are inside your window, then write down your earliest signs of heading up into hyperarousal or down into hypoarousal. Those early signs matter most, because catching the slide at a 3 out of 10 is much easier than at a 9. Keep the skills page somewhere you will see it, and practice the skills while you are settled so they are easier to use when you are not.
What does the window of tolerance diagram show?
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The diagram shows three zones stacked on top of each other: hyperarousal at the top, the window of tolerance in the middle, and hypoarousal at the bottom. Hyperarousal is too much activation (panic, anger, a pounding heart, racing thoughts), while hypoarousal is too little, when you go numb or foggy or shut down. Inside the window, you can feel stress and still think clearly and stay connected to the people around you.
Who created the window of tolerance?
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Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel J. Siegel coined the term window of tolerance in his 1999 book The Developing Mind. Many trauma therapists use it to explain stress responses to clients, and this worksheet adapts it into a printable you can fill out on your own.
How do you get back into your window of tolerance?
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You get back into your window with skills matched to the direction you left in: settling skills for hyperarousal and energizing skills for hypoarousal. If you are heading up and out, lengthen your exhale so it is longer than your inhale, or put cool water on your face and hands. If you are heading down and out, stand up and push your feet into the floor, name five things you can see, or text someone you feel safe with. When you can't tell which way you are going, slow breathing and noticing your feet on the ground are a reasonable place to start.
Can therapists use this window of tolerance handout with clients?
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Yes, therapists and counselors are welcome to print this handout and use it with clients for free. We ask that you link to this page and credit My Mental Climb rather than reposting the PDF file.
When should you get help for a narrow window of tolerance?
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It may be time to talk with a trauma therapist if you leave your window most days, or if small reminders push you into panic or shutdown and the skills on this worksheet only help for a moment. A trauma therapist can help you work out what pushes you out and build regulation skills before any work on painful memories, with the pace set so you can stay inside your window. At My Mental Climb, trauma therapy is available by telehealth across California, and a free 15-minute consult with our intake coordinator can help you find the right fit.
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