Window of Tolerance: Map & Tracker
An illustrated psychoeducation sheet and personal tracker for the window of tolerance model. Clients map their own signs of hyper- and hypo-arousal and the strategies that bring them back.
2-page fillable PDF · US Letter (prints on A4) · Psychoeducation · Regulation
- Approach / concern
- Trauma & PTSD
- Technique
- Psychoeducation · Regulation
- Format
- Fillable PDF, 2 pages (US Letter / A4)
- Access
- Pro and Advanced plans (3-day free trial)
- For
- Licensed clinicians to use with clients
- Updated
- October 2026
Key facts
What is the Window of Tolerance: Map & Tracker?
The window of tolerance is a concept introduced by Dr. Dan Siegel (1999) to describe the optimal zone of arousal in which a person can function and process emotion effectively. Above the window is hyper-arousal (fight or flight, anxiety, anger, panic). Below it is hypo-arousal (shutdown, numbness, dissociation). Trauma and chronic stress often narrow the window, and therapy aims to widen it.
Why it works
The model gives clients a non-pathologizing language for their reactions and helps them notice state shifts early. It is foundational in sensorimotor psychotherapy (Ogden et al., 2006) and links closely to neurobiological accounts of trauma (Corrigan et al., 2011). Clinicians also use it to pace trauma processing so that work stays within a tolerable range.
When to use it
- Early trauma treatment and stabilization
- Emotion dysregulation
- Dissociation and shutdown
- Teaching clients why they ‘overreact’ or ‘go blank’
- Couples work, to understand each partner’s patterns
How to use it in session
- Explain the three zones using the diagram and invite the client to share examples.
- Fill in the personal map together, starting with the zone the client knows best.
- Identify at least two up-regulating and two down-regulating strategies.
- Assign the daily check-in for one to two weeks.
- Use the shared language in session: “Where are you in your window right now?”
Clinician tips
- Normalize both directions. Hypo-arousal is often missed because it looks ‘calm’.
- Down-regulating and up-regulating strategies are different. Breathing slowly can deepen shutdown.
- Use your own regulated presence as a resource (co-regulation).
Worked example
Sharing with clients
Members can download the PDF to print or email, or copy a private client link from the download box. Your client opens the link and downloads the worksheet on any device. No client account is needed, and nothing your client writes is stored on TherapyAid.
Frequently asked questions
Who created the window of tolerance?
Dr. Daniel Siegel introduced the term in The Developing Mind (1999). Pat Ogden and colleagues later developed it further within sensorimotor psychotherapy.
Can the window get wider?
Yes. Regulation skills, safe relationships, good sleep and well-paced trauma therapy can all widen the window over time.
References
Siegel, D. J. (1999). The developing mind: Toward a neurobiology of interpersonal experience. Guilford Press.
Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the body: A sensorimotor approach to psychotherapy. W. W. 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.
This worksheet is an educational tool for use by, or under the guidance of, a licensed or registered mental-health professional. It is not a diagnostic instrument or a substitute for clinical judgement. If a client is in crisis in Canada, call or text 9-8-8 or call 9-1-1.
