Feelings Charts

What is emotional awareness?

How connected are you with your emotions? Emotional awareness, also known as emotional intelligence (EQ), refers to understanding, managing, and reasoning with one's emotions. It involves being in tune with one's own feelings and those of others, knowing how to express feelings while being cognizant of how they may affect others, and practicing emotional regulation. Developing emotional awareness is crucial for personal growth, building strong relationships, and emotion regulation (Gross, 2015).

Emotional awareness is a crucial skill for individuals to better understand and manage their emotions. In turn, this allows individuals to respond more intentionally, shaping their thoughts and behavior in the process.

Why is identifying emotions important?

Identifying emotions is crucial, especially for adults, as it contributes to self-awareness, improved communication, and better decision-making. Here are the key reasons why being in tune with one's feelings is important:

• Enhances self-awareness: Being able to identify and name different feelings and emotions increases self-awareness. This self-knowledge equips us to understand our needs, desires, strengths, and limitations more comprehensively, contributing to a well-rounded self-image.
• Strengthens relationships: Identifying our own emotions also aids in interpreting and empathizing with the emotions of others. This empathy facilitates better communication and understanding in relationships, fostering stronger social bonds and less conflict.
• Promotes problem-solving: Emotions can significantly influence decision-making and problem-solving. When we know our emotional state, we can make decisions more judiciously, considering the emotional aspects and logical reasoning in tandem.
• Supports personal growth: Identifying and working through emotions is essential for personal development. It allows individuals to learn from their experiences, adapt, and grow, improving resilience and overall well-being.

Understanding the importance of identifying emotions in adult patients can improve healthcare practitioners' care. Incorporating strategies to assist patients in recognizing and expressing their emotions can lead to more effective interventions and positive health outcomes.

Tools for emotional awareness

Many tools are available that help individuals understand and articulate their emotional experiences. The following are noteworthy tools widely used primarily in the healthcare setting:

Feelings wheel

Emotion wheels, like a feelings circle or the Geneva Emotion Wheel, offer a way to recognize and distinguish between complex emotions. One of the earliest and most widely recognized Feelings Charts is the "Feelings Wheel" or "Genius Chart," originally developed by Dr. Gloria Willcox in the 1970s (Willcox, 1982). This chart was designed to help children and adults alike identify, communicate, and understand their emotions more effectively.

Kids' Feelings Chart

Like adults, young people need help learning about and identifying their emotions. These Feelings Charts for kids typically feature simple illustrations or cartoon characters depicting core feelings like happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and surprise. They serve as a nonverbal way for a child to point to or name the emotion they are experiencing, fostering emotional awareness and communication skills.

Feelings thermometer

Feeling thermometers resemble traditional thermometers but measure emotional intensity instead of temperature. They typically range from cool colors (representing calm or neutral emotions) to warm colors (representing intense or escalated emotions). These tools can help individuals monitor and regulate their emotional arousal levels, promoting self-regulation skills.

Mood diaries

Keeping a mood diary encourages reflective practice. Individuals regularly record their emotions and the context in which they occur. This can help identify patterns in emotional responses and triggers over time.

What is a Feelings Chart?

Feelings Charts are valuable tools for developing emotional awareness and emotional intelligence, particularly for children and young people. A Feeling Chart can help individuals identify, communicate, and understand their emotional experiences more effectively by visually representing various emotions. It can also help one become more aware of the triggers or external factors associated with these emotions and how to cope with them.

Feelings Charts typically feature a central core or "hub" surrounded by various emotions or feelings. This chart of emotions may be organized by categories, such as "core feelings" (e.g., happy, sad, angry, scared) or more specific emotions (e.g., anxiety, guilt, hope, pride).

How does it work?

Carepatron offers practical and simple-to-use Feelings Charts for self-reflection, therapy sessions, or educational settings.  Using a Feelings Chart or template involves the following steps: 

Step 1: Introduce the chart

Introduce the client to the Feelings Chart and explain its purpose, how it might help the patient identify and express emotions, and how it helps them develop their emotional patterns.

Step 2: Consider their current emotional state

After becoming familiar with everything, the client takes some time to consider their current emotional state. They can consult the Feelings Chart and pick out the feelings that match what they are going through.

Step 3: Reflect and resonate

Afterward, the client takes time to reflect on how they feel at the moment. They can refer to the Feelings Chart and identify the emotions that resonate with what they are experiencing.

Step 4: Select emotions

Using the Feelings Chart, the client selects the emotions that accurately represent their current feelings. Depending on the complexity of their emotional experience, they may choose one or multiple emotions from the chart.

Step 5: State the emotion and engage

Let the client communicate and describe their emotions. Then, engage the client in a discussion about the chosen emotions. They explore the triggers, underlying causes, and possible coping strategies related to those emotions.

When would you use this template?

Here are some scenarios in which a Feelings Chart can be effectively used:

Use as a discussion starter with patients

Therapists and counselors can use the Feelings Chart to aid individuals in expressing and processing their feelings. Therapists can use the chart as a discussion starter and a tool to track their patients' emotional growth over time.

Help children become acquainted with a variety of feelings

Parents and caregivers can use the Feelings Chart to facilitate an honest conversation with kids. It can help kids learn about and identify a range of emotions, acknowledge their feelings, and grow in emotional quotient. 

Gain awareness of one's own mental and emotional state

The Feelings Chart is a tool for introspection and self-understanding that may be used by anyone. A better awareness of one's own mental and emotional states might result from the ability to recognize and name one's feelings. Particularly helpful for stress reduction, enhanced communication, and general emotional health.

To further enhance your practice and client outcomes, check out our body chart and emotional body templates.

References

Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2014.940781

Willcox, G. (1982). The Feeling Wheel: A Tool for Expanding Awareness of Emotions and Increasing Spontaneity and Intimacy. Transactional Analysis Journal, 12(4), 274–276. https://doi.org/10.1177/036215378201200411