An Emotion Board to express feelings and needs
A simple visual tool for couples that makes feelings and needs easier to express, helping your partner understand you more clearly.
40-page digital guidebook for free
How it works
A simple way to communicate feelings more clearly every day
1
Place the board
Attach the Emotion Board to your fridge, window, mirror, or any other smooth surface so it naturally becomes part of your everyday routine.
2
Choose your emotion and action
Move the red magnetic pin to show how you're feeling and the blue pin to indicate what you'd like your partner to do at that moment.
3
Help your partner understand you
Give your partner a simple way to understand your emotions and respond in the way you need most.
Everyday moments
For the moments when words are hard to find
Comfort
After a difficult day, ask for the support that would help
When explaining everything feels like too much, the Emotion Board helps one partner show how they feel and whether comfort, practical help, a conversation, or a little space would help most.
Clarity
When something feels wrong, make it easier to explain
The Emotion Board gives one partner a clear way to identify what they are feeling and show what kind of response would help, making it easier to begin a calm conversation.
Connection
When you want to feel closer, show what you need
When a couple feels distant, the Emotion Board helps one partner ask for attention, reassurance, affection, or time together without turning the moment into a heavy conversation.
WHY WE CREATED IT
Feeling heard changes the conversation
Clearer needs make support easier
Understanding brings couples closer
Relationships include many different moments: closeness, frustration, uncertainty, affection, silence, and everything in between. The Emotion Board was created to make those moments easier to navigate by giving one partner a clear way to express what they feel and what they need.
* Dave is a fictional character inspired by the experiences of real couples. His story represents a situation many partners will recognize.
The thinking behind the board
Two ideas that make feelings easier to communicate
Name what you feel
The board's emotion choices were informed by psychologist Robert Plutchik's model of emotions, which explores how emotions relate to one another and vary in intensity.
We adapted those ideas into 20 recognizable emotions and everyday states that feel relevant to relationships.
Ask for what you need
The partner actions were inspired by principles from Nonviolent Communication, particularly the connection between feelings, needs, and clear requests.
Instead of leaving a partner to guess, the board turns those ideas into a simple way to show a partner what kind of response would help.
The Emotion Board is an independently created communication tool inspired by established ideas in emotional awareness and communication. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Robert Plutchik, the Center for Nonviolent Communication, or any related organization, and it is not a substitute for professional therapy.
From confusion
Where feelings become clear
To connection
Reviews
What couples say about the Emotion Board
“It just works in real life”
“I used to say ‘I’m fine’ even when I wasn’t, mostly because I didn’t know how to explain what I was feeling in the moment. The Emotion Board gave me a simple way to show both my emotions and what I needed. It removed a lot of frustration for both of us.”
Emma, 28
“I genuinely thought I was helping, but I kept responding the wrong way. Sometimes she wanted advice, sometimes space, sometimes just a hug. This board removed the guessing. I finally understood what she actually needed from me.”
“I wasn’t expecting much from it, honestly. I thought it would just sit on our fridge and look nice. But I found myself using it almost every day. I say less now, but somehow I feel more understood.”
“My problem wasn't having feelings - I have plenty of those. My problem was explaining them before becoming frustrated. I like that I can simply point at what I feel and what I need without turning it into a big conversation.”
“I've been married for 11 years, and I learned something slightly embarrassing: I often thought I understood my wife when I actually didn't. The board gave me clearer signals and helped me stop making assumptions.”
“My default mode was ‘fix the problem.’ Apparently, that's not always the correct answer. I learned that sometimes she just needed me to listen, sit with her, or give her some space. Sounds simple, but it changed a lot.”
“The biggest thing for me wasn’t communication. It was relief. I stopped feeling like I had to explain everything perfectly for my partner to understand me.”
“We used to have these small situations where I thought I was doing the right thing and somehow making it worse. The Emotion Board helped me understand the difference between what I assumed she needed and what she actually needed.”
“I like that it feels natural and not like relationship homework. It’s just there on the fridge, part of our day. Small thing, but it changed how understood I feel.”
FAQ
Common questions about the Twomatoes Emotion Board
From how it works to what’s included, here are answers to the questions we hear most often.
Ready when you are
Make emotional communication part of everyday life
A simple daily tool that helps couples share feelings, understand needs, and respond with more clarity.
