Dan Siegel's window of tolerance: between hyper‑arousal (panic, rage, racing) and hypo‑arousal (numb, shut down, foggy) is your zone where you can think, feel, and act. Drag the dot to where you actually are right now. Get one matched regulation step.
Most anxiety tools assume you can engage — they assume you have enough arousal. But someone shut down or dissociating needs the opposite intervention (movement, orienting, voice) before any breathing work makes sense. The window helps you pick.
After one regulation step, the dot should move toward the middle. If it doesn't move, the step didn't fit — try the opposite pole's tool.
The window model is a teaching aid, not a diagnostic tool. People with trauma history may spend long stretches outside the window; that warrants professional support, not just self‑help.
That happens. Pick the one that feels strongest right now and try the matched step. Bouncing usually settles within 5–10 minutes.
That's information. Stop self‑helping for now. Text a friend, drink water, change rooms, and consider professional support if it's a pattern.