03/02/2026
Extreme overwhelm, chronic stress, or total shutdown... can all be your nervous system reacting to your environment. Unfortunately, we don't always want (or need) to react this way.
Your "Window of Tolerance" is the range where you can think clearly, feel your emotions, and respond intentionally rather than reacting automatically. (Think: feeling calm, zen, regulated)
When stress pushes you above your window, you might feel anxious, irritable, or on edge (hyperarousal). When it pushes you below it, you might feel numb, foggy, or disconnected (hypoarousal). Chronic anxiety, ongoing stress, or trauma can shrink that window.
In therapy, we work on gently expanding your window of tolerance so your body doesn’t have to live on the extremes.
Because two things can be true at the same time:
Your nervous system developed these responses to keep you safe.
And you might not need them in the same way anymore (or at least not all the time).
If this resonates, you’re not alone! Healing is possible, and it might start with understanding how your nervous system works.