Feelings Wheel - A psychological tool for emotional states

Hey everyone, Teacher Guil here! Today, I want to introduce you to a great communication resource called the Emotion Wheel, which you might also hear referred to as a Feelings Wheel.

This psychological instrument was created to assist people in recognizing, comprehending, and expressing their exact emotional conditions more effectively.

This article is designed for individuals who occasionally find it challenging to express themselves or lack the vocabulary to convey complex concepts. By starting with the inner circle and expanding outward, you can significantly enhance your ability to articulate ideas effectively.

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Structure of the Wheel

The wheel organizes vocabulary into a hierarchy that moves from generic core sensations to nuanced sub-categories:

• Inner Ring (Core Emotions): Contains basic universal emotions used as starting points (Happy, Sad, Disgusted, Angry, Fearful, Bad, and Surprised).
• Middle Ring (Secondary Tiers): Explores the next layer of context. For instance, Sad branches into specific subsets like Lonely, Vulnerable, Guilty, Depressed, or Hurt.
• Outer Ring (Tertiary Details): Contains precise, highly focused descriptions. For example, branching from Sad → Lonely leads to highly specific feelings like Isolated or Abandoned.

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Example:

Imagine you tell yourself: I am feeling bad today.

Think about the word bad.

Does this feeling come because you are too tired? Maybe you did not have a good night's sleep and are feeling "sleepy"?

Or you have spent too much time in the house,