About this resource
Saying 'I feel bad' is hard to act on; 'I feel disappointed and left out' points to what is needed. This worksheet offers ladders from broad emotions to more specific words, and a practice log for naming feelings more precisely.
Purpose
To help clients name emotions more precisely, which can make them easier to manage.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Counsellors and therapists. Also relevant for psychologists, youth workers.
Client or participant group: Adolescents and adults building emotional awareness.
Practice setting: Individual counselling and skills groups.
Suggested uses
- Emotion regulation
- Emotional awareness
- Relationship communication
- Between-session practice
Instructions for practitioners
- Model with your own examples.
- Encourage adding the client's own words.
- Link specific emotions to needs.
- Practise in session.
Instructions for clients or participants
- Pick the broad feeling.
- Climb the ladder to a more specific word.
- Note what you need.
Accessibility considerations
Can be completed verbally.
Scope and limitations
A skills worksheet for use within counselling.
Research basis
Understanding, naming and choosing strategies for emotions are central to emotion regulation; putting feelings into words and finer emotion distinctions are linked to better regulation.
- 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
- 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. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721414550708
- Kircanski, K., Lieberman, M. D., & Craske, M. G. (2012). Feelings Into Words: Contributions of Language to Exposure Therapy. Psychological Science, 23(10), 1086–1091. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612443830
What is included
A 2-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure, layout and icons were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced.
