About This Tool
This tool was designed and written by Tyler Brodhead, LPC as a clinical visualization tool for tracking emotional patterns, identifying triggers, and mapping the connections between thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and behaviors over time. Intended as a between-session reflective practice and an in-session pattern-recognition aid for individual therapy work.
This tool and its contents are the exclusive intellectual property of Tyler Brodhead, LPC and LifeLab™. Use is authorized solely by LifeLab™ or the author. Any reproduction, distribution, adaptation, or use by any other individual or organization is strictly prohibited.
Emotion Identifier
Answer three questions to name what you're feeling and get a coping report
Step 1 of 3
How does what you're feeling sit with you?
Don't overthink it — go with your first instinct.
Emotion Trace Map
A research-based visual tool for identifying and naming what you feel
Follow the path that best matches your experience → move left to right → arrive at your emotion name
What are you feeling right now?
Start here · follow the branch that fits best · trust your first instinct
Valence
Feels Wrong
hard · uncomfortable · unpleasant
Feels Good
warm · energizing · pleasant
Feels Flat
numb · empty · disconnected
Feels Mixed
both at once · contradictory
Energy
Level
Level
HIGH
activated
MID
present
LOW
heavy
HIGH
buzzing
MID
steady
LOW
quiet
HIGH
on edge
MID
drifting
LOW
shutdown
HIGH
turbulent
MID
tangled
LOW
resigned
Emotion
anger
rage
fury
panic
terror
anxiety
dread
alarm
outrage
agitation
frustration
irritation
annoyance
resentment
worry
indignation
jealousy
envy
contempt
disgust
sadness
grief
sorrow
loneliness
despair
hopelessness
discouragement
disappointment
guilt
shame
excitement
joy
elation
enthusiasm
exhilaration
delight
love
passion
eagerness
anticipation
happiness
optimism
confidence
pride
satisfaction
warmth
hope
amusement
affection
cheerfulness
contentment
serenity
calm
peace
relief
gratitude
acceptance
tranquility
comfort
fulfillment
freeze
dissociation
hypervigilance
restlessness
edginess
jitteriness
alertness
wariness
surprise
shock
indifference
detachment
boredom
distraction
disinterest
complacency
aloofness
nonchalance
weariness
listlessness
numbness
emptiness
apathy
shutdown
withdrawal
exhaustion
depletion
fatigue
lethargy
blankness
overwhelm
dysregulation
conflict
turmoil
tension
distress
frenzy
fluster
stress
trepidation
ambivalence
confusion
uncertainty
insecurity
hesitation
doubt
bewilderment
conflictedness
reluctance
perplexity
bittersweet
nostalgia
longing
melancholy
wistfulness
resignation
yearning
regret
pensiveness
homesickness
Once you find your emotion — ask: directed toward what?
The same emotion looks different and calls for different responses depending on its source. Use the five focus directions to sharpen it further.
event — something that happened
person — directed at someone
self — turned inward, about you
future — anticipatory, about what's ahead
body — felt physically before you can name it
→ the focus shapes which coping strategy fits best
First-Response Coping by Arousal Level — Match the Strategy to the State
High Arousal — Physiology First
Cold water on face or wrists (dive reflex — slows heart rate within seconds)
Intense exercise 15–20 min burns off adrenaline before any cognitive strategy can work
Extended exhale breathing: 4-count in · hold 2 · 8-count out — activates vagal brake
No high-stakes decisions or conversations until arousal has decreased
Progressive muscle relaxation: tense each muscle group 10 sec then release
DBT TIPP Skill (Linehan, 2015) · Barlow Unified Protocol · Porges Polyvagal Theory
Mid Arousal — Name and Engage
Name it: "I feel ______ right now" — labeling activates the PFC and reduces limbic intensity
5-4-3-2-1 grounding: name 5 things you see, 4 hear, 3 touch, 2 smell, 1 taste
Cognitive check: separate what actually happened from the story you're telling about it
Opposite action (DBT): if the emotion urges avoidance or attack — do the opposite gently
Reach toward one safe person — co-regulation is faster than self-regulation
DBT Emotion Regulation (Linehan, 2015) · CBT · Affect labeling research
Low Arousal — Gentle Activation
Gentle rhythmic movement: walking, rocking, slow stretching — activates ventral vagal state
Warm sensory input: shower, tea, weighted blanket — signals safety to the nervous system
Reduce all non-essential demands — low arousal states are the system in protection mode
One micro-action only: pick the single smallest next thing, not a plan
Don't force insight — low arousal states don't respond to cognitive pressure
Porges Polyvagal Theory · van der Kolk (2014) The Body Keeps the Score