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How to Help Your Clients Understand Their Window of Tolerance [Infographic]

91 Comments

Our clients are best able to cope with stressors and triggers when they’re operating within their window of tolerance.

But a traumatic experience can narrow our clients’ window of tolerance, leading to states of either hyper- or hypo-arousal.

So we created this infographic as a tool you can share with your clients. It can help you explain what’s going on when they’re feeling dysregulated. Plus, this will help to support the exercises and work you do together as an important part of healing.

Click the image to enlarge

how trauma impacts your window of tolerance infographic

If you’d like to print a copy for yourself, just click here: Color or Print-friendly

(Please be sure to include the copyright information. We put a lot of work into creating these resources for you. Thanks!)

For more strategies you can use to help clients who’ve experienced trauma, be sure to check out the Treating Trauma Master Series.

You’ll get insights from Bessel van der Kolk, MD; Dan Siegel, MD; Pat Ogden, PhD; Stephen Porges, PhD; Peter Levine, PhD; Allan Schore, PhD; and Ruth Lanius, MD, PhD.

Now we’d like to hear from you. How could this help you in your work? Please leave a comment below.

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Related Posts: Infographics, Trauma, Trauma Therapy

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91 Comments

  1. Kuei Yen Li, Psychotherapy, TW says

    Hi
    I am psychotherapist at hospital in Taiwan.
    Could i translate the picture to traditional chinese?

    Best regards,

    Li

    Reply
  2. Nichole Way, Counseling, Battle Creek, MI, USA says

    I love the work of Bessel , Siegel, and Levine so I’m looking forward to exploring options for the Treating Trauma master course

    Reply
  3. Maritza Griffiths, Teacher, Smithfield, UT, USA says

    Thank you so much to share this resource with us for free.

    Reply
  4. Velrie Allen, Supervisor, Onondaga, MI, USA says

    Thank you for sharing this information.

    Reply
  5. Y S, Social Work, SG says

    Thank you for the free resource! But like what others have said, why was dysregulation removed? I very much prefer that version too. Is is possible for that version to be reuploaded?

    Thank you again!

    Reply
  6. Margarita Enriquez, Nursing, La Palma, CA, USA says

    Thank you for sharing this information

    Reply
  7. Arlene Dunkley-Wood, Counseling, GB says

    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  8. Erin Doerwald, Counseling, santa fe, NM, USA says

    Can you provide the window of tolerance graphic in a Spanish translation, please?

    Reply
  9. Martina Esberger-Chowdhury, Stress Management, AT says

    Thank you for providing these wonderful resources. They are extremely helpful in explaining the concepts of stress and trauma to students and clients, also in the context of Mindfulness training.

    Reply
  10. Zaira H, Counseling, USA says

    This is a wonderful resource that I use with clients! Is it possible to access this and the rest of the PDF’s on window of tolerance and other resources in Spanish?

    Thank you so much for your support.

    Reply
  11. Celine Pruneau, Teacher, CA says

    Thank you! Was just wondering why I felt line checking myself into a mental institution after a hyperarousal moment. I looked up online to remember my « window of tolerance «  and found your helpful too… illustrations helped. Funny how after repeated childhood sexual abuse (CPTSD) can bring your moods on a roller coaster ride even 40 years later. 😱

    Reply
  12. Joy Borum, Other, Scottsdale, AZ, USA says

    Though not a licensed mental health practitioner, I learn so much from your and your colleagues’ resources, knowledge, skills, and experiences. Wonderful. Thank you. Also, your offerings are helpful for me and, thus, help me help my clients…conflict resolution and communication practice + a spiritual companion practice. Thank you, again! Best wishes to you always in all ways.

    Reply
  13. Patricia Kovacic, Psychotherapy, AU says

    Thank you for sharing this information. At present I’m doing the “how to deal with fear” program. I find that Psycho-education helps the client have a new informed perspective of their thoughts and feelings. challenging clients risk assessments and the reality of their thoughts.

    Reply
  14. Mary O'Neill, Psychotherapy, IE says

    I like that this is just very simple and clear.

    Reply
  15. Sue Baker, Nursing, AU says

    Very helpful thank you!

    Reply
  16. annie nehmad, Psychotherapy, GB says

    Very useful!
    But I prefer your 2017 version of it

    Reply
    • Nicola Terry, Psychotherapy, GB says

      I do too! I’m wondering why the dysregulation sections were removed…

      Reply
      • Kylee Feist, Student, Fresno, CA, USA says

        Do tou havw a copy of the 2017 with those parts I could possibly use?

        Reply
  17. Kate Brandram-Adams, Nursing, NZ says

    thank you this will help many many of my clients

    Reply
  18. Susan Craig, Nursing, IT says

    Much gratitude to the NICABM team for this infographic. These summaries are a great visual support for all of us.
    Thank you!

    Reply
  19. Lorenia Parada-Ampudia, Coach, Santa Cruz, CA, USA says

    Thank you NICABM team for your generosity! This is good, simple and useful!

    Reply
  20. Gidget Wong, Counseling, GB says

    Thank you and all the experts again. This infographics is so simple and clear. It helps me to show my clients clearly the emotions (hyper or hypo) they were in to understand why they were behaving as such. It definitely helps in my client work. Thank you for your kind generosity.

    Reply
  21. JoAnn Baird, Marriage/Family Therapy, Reno, NV, USA says

    Thank you so much for the Info-graphics. They are so helpful!

    Reply
  22. caroline h, Counseling, GB says

    Hi Ruth 🙂 love this diagrams -my clients’ really can identify with them, especially male clients…….maybe it helps them process the information better?…..thanks again to al your colleagues for this trauma series!
    Kind regards
    Caroline

    Reply
  23. Sara Falld, Coach, BS says

    Thank you! It really useful infographic. I will propose it to my director. I work in a company which produces content, so right cooperation with client one of the most important parts of success.

    Reply
  24. Nannette Moreno, Other, South Jordan, UT, USA says

    Thank you for the detailed and informative Window of Tolerance.
    It helps me to know I can be in the window zone no matter how small or large it is at any given time. It doesn’t have to be, ‘I’m all in’ or ‘I’m all out’. I like that.

    Reply
  25. Patti says

    Please notify me of new posts

    Reply
  26. Malory Giraldo says

    Hi! Do you have this infographic in Spanish or Somali?

    Reply
  27. Malory Giraldo says

    I love this infographic and use it regularly with clients. Do you have it in other languages, I am particularly interested in Spanish and Somali. Thank you.

    Reply
  28. Sarah says

    This is very helpful to share with clients and helping with psycho-education.
    It helps them to make sense out of the frightening feelings they have when their body takes over. I have found using it alongside a trauma informed perspective rapidly reduces the shame they feel at getting lost in these states.
    Thank you

    Reply
  29. Marie Graw says

    Thank you, this visual will be of great help!

    Reply
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