Feelings wheel

Put a name to what you’re feeling. Start broad and narrow in.

What are you feeling right now?

Spin the wheel with your finger, then tap whatever fits. Each feeling opens up to show what sits underneath it.

Joy Calm Surprise Fear Anger Disgust Sadness

Drag to spin. Tap any ring — inner, middle or outer.

This tool is for general information and self-reflection. It is not a substitute for professional care.

What a feelings wheel is for

A feelings wheel is a map of emotions. The seven words in the centre are broad families: joy, calm, surprise, fear, anger, disgust and sadness. Each ring outward gets more specific. Fear, for example, opens into anxious, insecure, swamped, threatened and scared, and anxious opens again into worried and restless.

Most of us reach for the same few words, like “stressed”, “fine” or “upset”, and they don’t tell us much. A more exact word helps. “Let down” says that something you were counting on didn’t happen, and that gives you something to think about or talk through. Putting a feeling into words can also take a little of the edge off it.

How to use it

  • Start in the centre with whichever family feels closest. It doesn’t have to be exact.
  • Tap it to see everything inside it, then tap the word that fits best. Each word comes with a short definition.
  • When you land on a word that fits, read the question that comes with it and give yourself a minute to answer, in your head, out loud or on paper.
  • More than one feeling at once is normal, like relieved and let down about the same thing. Name both.

On a phone, spin the wheel with your finger. On a computer, drag it with the mouse, or use the Tab key to move between the seven families and Enter to open one. Nothing you tap is saved or sent anywhere.

Using it with children and teens

The wheel makes a good conversation starter. Younger children can point to a colour or one of the words in the centre; older kids and teens can go further out. Try it at a calm moment first, rather than in the middle of a meltdown, so it feels like a game rather than a test. It also helps when they see you use it to name your own feelings.

When to get more support

Naming feelings is a skill, and it gets easier with practice. If the same hard feelings keep coming back, last for weeks, or get in the way of sleep, school, work or relationships, it’s worth talking to someone. I offer a free 20-minute consultation by video or phone, to see whether we’re a good fit.

Book a first appointment