How to Use an Emotions Wheel: A Simple Tool for Emotional Clarity
Many people struggle to put their feelings into words. Whether it's in relationships, during conflict, or even in therapy, the question "How do you feel?" can be surprisingly difficult to answer.
That's where the Emotions Wheel comes in — a practical, visual tool that can help you better understand, name, and communicate your emotions. In counselling, emotional awareness is often the first step toward healing, growth, and connection.
What Is an Emotions Wheel?
An emotions wheel (sometimes called a feelings wheel or emotion chart) is a circular diagram that organizes a wide range of emotions into categories. It typically starts with a few core feelings in the centre — like happy, sad, angry, fearful, disgusted, or surprised — and branches out into more specific feelings as you move outward.
For example:
At the centre: Angry
The next layer: Frustrated, Annoyed, Bitter
Outer layer: Irritated, Resentful, Agitated
By exploring the wheel, you can move beyond general feelings to uncover what’s really going on beneath the surface.
Why Is It Helpful?
Most of us grow up with limited emotional vocabulary. We tend to rely on just a few broad words like stressed, upset, or fine—which don’t always reflect the complexity of our experience.
Using the emotions wheel can help you:
Improve emotional self-awareness
Identify patterns and triggers
Communicate more clearly with others
Process difficult or confusing feelings
Support mindfulness and emotional regulation
It’s especially useful in therapy, journaling, conflict resolution, and parenting.
How to Use an Emotions Wheel
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to using the emotions wheel in your day-to-day life or in a counselling session:
1. Pause and Check In
When you’re feeling something—anything—pause and ask yourself:
"What am I feeling right now?"
If you're not sure, that's okay. That’s exactly when the wheel becomes most useful.
2. Start at the Centre
Begin by identifying a core emotion. These are often basic feelings like:
Happy
Sad
Angry
Fearful
Disgusted
Surprised
If none of these feel quite right, choose the one that seems closest.
3. Move Outward
From your core emotion, follow the branches outward. For example, if you feel fearful, you might realise you’re actually feeling insecure, anxious, or overwhelmed. This gives your emotion more depth and clarity.
4. Name the Feeling
Try to land on a specific word that best matches your emotional state. Naming the feeling helps your brain begin to regulate it — a process called affect labelling in neuroscience.
5. Reflect or Share
Once you’ve identified the feeling, reflect on what might have triggered it. If you’re in therapy or a conversation with someone you trust, share it.
For example:
"I’m not just stressed — I realise I’m feeling overwhelmed and helpless."
That’s a much more helpful starting point for support, problem-solving, or understanding.
Tips for Using the Emotions Wheel
Print it out or save it to your phone for easy access.
Use it during journaling or therapy to explore difficult moments.
Try it in relationships to improve emotional communication.
Introduce it to children or teens to help them build emotional vocabulary.
Final Thoughts
Understanding your emotions is not about being “emotional” — it’s about being aware, connected, and honest with yourself. Tools like the emotions wheel don’t give you the answers, but they can help you ask the right questions.
The Emotions Wheel is more than a graphic—it’s a bridge between what we feel and how we express it. It empowers self-awareness, emotional resilience, and clearer communication
At Solving Minds we use resources like the emotions wheel to support clients in exploring their inner world, navigating challenges, and building emotional resilience. If you’re curious to learn more or want to deepen your emotional awareness, we’re here to support you.
Need support making sense of your emotions?
Get in touch with us to book a session or explore how counselling can help.