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H.
It was a graphic that helps us to see whether we are inside the window of tolerance or outside it. When a person is sad, lacking energy, with many negative thoughts, it is probably because she is below the window. But if the person is very agitated, cannot be calm, is moving around and doesn`t feel good inside her body, we can say that she is above the windows of tolerance.
When looking at this graphic, maybe you can show me at which level of the window you think you are today. Would you like to try?
PART III: THEORY
S. H.
Yes, I can try
This is the window. Could you please show me in this picture where you think you are today?
S. I don’ t know, it’ s hard to say … but I think I am here. H.
S.
OK, good, its OK that you feel you are there today. Remember? We said that every day of this process is different and some days like today you can feel that you are here, but on other days you feel you are in other places on the graph. It’ s OK, this is a dynamic process and it is normal to be down here for a while or up here for a while. Our goal is to enable you to feel that you are inside the window most of the time, or that you manage to get back into the window when you feel up or down. And to do this, I would like to show you some grounding exercises. These exercises may help you to be in the‘ here and now’, which we call the‘ present moment’. Would you like to practise one of these exercises?
Yes, I would like that H. I’ ll give you some instructions, and you try to follow. OK? S. OK. H.
Make yourself comfortable in your chair, with your feet on the ground, and now follow my instructions.
Look around you and name 3 things you see.
• Look at something( an object, a color, etc.).
• Tell yourself what you are seeing.
Name 3 things you hear.
• Listen to a sound( music, voices, other sounds).
• Tell yourself what you are hearing.
Name 3 things you can touch.
• Touch something( different textures, different objects).
• Tell yourself what you are touching. Now, notice you state of mind.
H.
Do you feel that you are more present in the room or less present, after doing the exercise?
S. I feel more present. H. Do you feel calmer or more energized? S. I feel more energized but more present. H.
This exercise will help us to be more present in the here and now, to come back into the window when you are below the window of tolerance. Thank you for trying this exercise with me.