Feelings + Needs Wheels
If you’ve ever wondered, “Why am I like this?” or felt ashamed of your big feelings, sticky behaviors, or reactive patterns — there is nothing wrong with you, I promise!
Your ‘bad’ feelings + behaviors aren’t flaws or failures. They’re signals, messy little messengers pointing to unmet needs or undeveloped skills — things your system is trying to communicate the only way it knows how. This guide is here to help you listen.
The Feelings and Needs Wheels are simple, powerful tools that help you name what you’re feeling and gently uncover what’s underneath. They can help you move from self-judgment to self-understanding — and eventually, to self-support.
Over time, using these tools helps you recognize your emotional patterns, identify what you’ve been missing, and respond with compassion instead of shame.
When to use The Wheels:
When you’re spiraling or feeling flooded
After a tough conversation or big day
Before journaling or processing with someone
Anytime you’re feeling disconnected from yourself
How to use them:
Look at the Feelings Wheel and see what resonates
Start at the center and move outward, to get more specific
Then hop over to the Needs Wheel and find what your system might be asking for, also moving outward from the center
You can use this to journal, self-soothe, or communicate more clearly with others.
The Wheel of Feelings
The Wheel of Needs
Pro tip:
There are no wrong answers. If a word jumps out at you, trust that. You don’t need to justify or overanalyze; your body and intuition know what’s up. And remember, there is no feeling or need you could have that would make you a ‘bad’ person — it’s all human. You deserve tenderness and care as much as anybody else.
Want more ways to manage your emotions?
I’ve got a whole library of mind-body magic waiting for you✨