Module 5 – Worksheet 3:Naming Emotions – Building Your Inner Vocabulary

✨ Introduction
You can’t regulate what you can’t name.
Many adults were never taught to recognize or express emotions. But identifying your own feelings is the first step toward managing them—and helping your child do the same.
This exercise helps you practice emotional literacy. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about learning your own emotional language.

🪞 Reflective Practice

1. What were emotions like in your family growing up?
Were feelings talked about openly—or avoided? Which ones were “allowed”? Which were punished or ignored?

🖊️ Reflect briefly:

2. What words do you typically use when you’re upset?
(Do you say “angry” when it’s really fear? Or “fine” when you’re hurt?)

🖊️ Jot down 3–5 words you often use to describe difficult emotions:

3. Try expanding your vocabulary.
Look at this short list and circle (or copy) any emotions you’ve felt in the past week:

• frustrated
• anxious
• tired
• sad
• overwhelmed
• hopeful
• ashamed
• excited
• numb
• helpless
• lonely
• calm

🖊️ Add your own if needed:

4. Choose one recent moment when you felt emotionally off.
🖊️ What was the situation?

🖊️ What did you feel at first? (Be honest, no filters):

🖊️ What emotion was underneath that first one? (e.g., under anger might be fear, under silence might be shame):

5. Complete this sentence using your own words:
“I wasn’t just _____. I was also feeling _____ because _____.”

🖊️ Your sentence:

🌀 Visual Reflection (optional)
Create a simple “Feelings Map.” In the center, draw yourself. Around the edges, place bubbles of emotions you’ve felt this week.
Use color, size, or shapes to show intensity or frequency.

📷 Sketch here:

✅ This exercise builds emotional awareness—the foundation of regulation, connection, and resilience.
The more clearly you understand your own feelings, the more clearly your child will learn to trust theirs.