Feelings Wheel
A colourful two-ring feelings wheel with six core feelings and 18 specific emotion words, plus a fillable table for naming feelings in real situations.
2-page fillable PDF · US Letter (prints on A4) · Emotion awareness
- Approach / concern
- Universal
- Technique
- Emotion awareness
- Format
- Fillable PDF, 2 pages (US Letter / A4)
- Access
- Pro and Advanced plans (3-day free trial)
- For
- Licensed clinicians to use with clients
- Updated
- October 2026
Key facts
What is the Feelings Wheel?
Feelings (emotion) wheels arrange emotion words from broad core feelings in the centre to more specific feelings on the outside. They help people expand their emotional vocabulary and identify what they feel more precisely.
Why it works
Putting feelings into words (affect labelling) has been shown to reduce amygdala responses to emotional stimuli (Lieberman et al., 2007). Greater emotion differentiation is linked with more effective emotion regulation (Kashdan et al., 2015).
When to use it
- Any client building emotional awareness
- Children and teens (with support)
- Couples communication
- Journaling and check-ins
How to use it in session
- Show how to move from the centre outward.
- Practise with a recent situation.
- Encourage naming more than one feeling.
- Rate intensity.
- Use regularly as a check-in tool.
Clinician tips
- Keep a copy visible in the therapy room.
- Pair with the body map to link feelings and sensations.
- Respect cultural differences in emotion language.
Worked example
Sharing with clients
Members can download the PDF to print or email, or copy a private client link from the download box. Your client opens the link and downloads the worksheet on any device. No client account is needed, and nothing your client writes is stored on TherapyAid.
Frequently asked questions
Why use a feelings wheel?
It helps you move from vague words like ‘bad’ or ‘stressed’ to precise feelings, which makes it easier to know what you need.
Is this the original Plutchik or Willcox wheel?
No. It’s an original, simplified TherapyAid wheel designed for clinical use.
References
Lieberman, M. D., Eisenberger, N. I., Crockett, M. J., Tom, S. M., Pfeifer, J. H., & Way, B. M. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychological Science, 18(5), 421-428.
Kashdan, T. B., Barrett, L. F., & McKnight, P. E. (2015). Unpacking emotion differentiation: Transforming unpleasant experience by perceiving distinctions in negativity. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(1), 10-16.
This worksheet is an educational tool for use by, or under the guidance of, a licensed or registered mental-health professional. It is not a diagnostic instrument or a substitute for clinical judgement. If a client is in crisis in Canada, call or text 9-8-8 or call 9-1-1.
