Do you ever feel completely overcome by your emotions? Do you notice yourself shutting down and feeling numb? Or on the other hand, lashing out and feeling extremely anxious? If you are finding it challenging to regulate your emotions in times of stress, it’s likely that you are functioning outside of your Window of Tolerance. The Window of Tolerance is a concept developed by Dr. Dan Siegel, MD to describe and understand a person’s “optimal zone” for everyday functioning. Being in our optimal...

Life is busy. There are exams to study for, kids to raise, project deadlines to meet, and people to care for. With all these demands, time can pass with a feeling that success means just checking the boxes, paying the bills, and keeping your head above water. But when life doesn’t slow down and stressors compound, busyness can turn into burnout. Work feels like drudgery, and we find ourselves exhausted, cynical, and numbing out in ways which bring temporary relief but aren’t good for the...

“Who am I beyond whatever it is that I have to offer other people? Other than being seen by others as successful and well liked, I really have no idea what else there is to me.” These words were spoken by someone whom I recently sat with in the midst of a difficult season of loss and transition. He described a constant sense of pressure that had permeated every aspect of his life to this point - pressure to perform, to hustle, to have it all together, to do whatever it takes to live up to the...