Why I Developed the AniMoods Card Deck

For years, I’ve worked with people who struggle to regulate their emotions (by this I mean to recognise and manage when emotions get really big or push us to do things we might prefer on reflection we didn’t do). That struggle in my experience shows up in many different ways and is common across many different people who struggle with many different problems.  Many have been introduced to counselling approaches or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), while others sit on lengthy waiting lists, trying to make sense of things on their own. Often, the emotional regulation skills being offered are useful in principle, but the material itself is dense, clinical, and hard to engage with outside a structured therapy setting. People who don’t need to sit on a DBT waiting list can also benefit from these skills too! 

I wanted to contribute to a field I respect and believe in by addressing some of these gaps.

AniMoods was developed to bridge the space between DBT and emotional regulation theory and real-life application. In practice, I saw how much more people engaged when emotional regulation skills were presented in a way that felt practical, accessible, and relevant to daily life, rather than like therapy homework. When people understand why a skill works and can see how to use it in real situations, they are far more likely to come back to it.

By blending evidence-based emotional regulation techniques with engaging, anime-inspired visuals, AniMoods was designed to make learning these skills intuitive and approachable. Early prototype feedback reinforced this direction, particularly from people who had previously struggled to connect with more traditional resources.

Each card in the AniMoods deck is designed to support emotional awareness and provide clear, actionable strategies. The cards encourage users to pause, reflect, and apply emotional regulation skills (ways to handle strong feelings when they show up) in a way that feels natural rather than forced. This approach helps reduce emotional overwhelm and supports emotional regulation in daily life, whether the cards are used in a professional setting or independently.

AniMoods offers a structured yet flexible way to explore emotions without the overload that often comes with manuals or worksheets. It can be used by therapists and coaches as an emotional regulation tool within sessions, or by individuals who want practical support for managing intense emotions outside of therapy.

Ultimately, I developed AniMoods because I believe emotional regulation skills should be accessible to everyone. Understanding and managing emotions isn’t just a therapeutic exercise. It’s a life skill. With the right tools, people can learn how to regulate emotions more effectively, build emotional confidence, and respond rather than react when things get difficult.

My hope is that AniMoods helps people take their first steps, or their next steps, toward working with emotions in a way that feels realistic, supportive, and sustainable.