What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence (also known as EI or EQ) means recognising and understanding your own emotions and the emotions of other people. It also includes being able to manage your feelings and respond to others in a thoughtful way.

There are 2 types of emotional intelligence:

• Ability emotional intelligence — the skill to notice and understand emotions.
• Trait emotional intelligence — your natural emotional style, which is part of your personality.

What are the benefits of emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence may improve your wellbeing. It may also help you build healthy relationships and cope more easily with life's ups and downs. Here are some benefits:

• People with higher emotional intelligence often feel happier, more positive and healthier.
• It can also help you deal with hard feelings such as stress, anxiety or feeling down in a healthier way.
• Emotional intelligence helps you understand how others feel and talk with them more effectively. This may strengthen your relationships.
• It also helps with teamwork, leadership, solving problems and handling conflict in places like school or work.
• People with higher emotional intelligence may enjoy their work more and feel less burnt out.

Over time, emotional intelligence may help you feel more confident and handle your emotions better.

What are the signs of high emotional intelligence?

If you have high emotional intelligence, you may:

• recognise and understand your feelings and manage them in tough situations
• notice how other people feel and show empathy
• understand your strengths, limits and what triggers your emotions
• build and maintain strong, healthy relationships
• adjust to change and cope with challenges or stress in healthy ways
• stay positive and motivated
• communicate clearly and handle conflict

What are the signs of low emotional intelligence?

If you have low emotional intelligence, you might find it harder to understand and manage your feelings. This may affect your mental health and relationships.

You may:

• find it difficult to notice or handle your emotions, especially if you feel worried or sad
• feel more depressed, with stronger or more frequent low moods
• feel more anxious, with stronger or more frequent feelings of fear or stress
• find it hard to deal with everyday problems such as schoolwork or changes in routine
• find social situations difficult, such as making friends or understanding how other people feel
• have a higher chance of mental health problems such as depression or anxiety

How can I build emotional intelligence?

You can build emotional intelligence at any age with time, support and practice. Focus on key skills, including:

• noticing your own emotions and feelings
• trying to understand how other people feel
• adjusting how you think and act in new or changing situations
• using your emotions to handle and bounce back from challenges

Here are some ways you can grow your emotional intelligence:

• Join a program or talk to a trained professional to help you understand and handle your emotions.
• Practise with tools and activities — role plays and discussions may help you learn how to talk about feelings and respond.
• Get to know your own feelings — think about how you feel and why. Mindfulness is a great way to better understand your feelings. You can also learn by reading books on emotional intelligence.

Who can help me build emotional intelligence?

You can build emotional intelligence with support from trained professionals, such as a:

• counsellor
• psychologist
• youth worker

A support network can help you build emotional skills.

Resources and support

For more information or support, the following organisations and services can help:

• Vision Australia has an emotional intelligence test. They also offer resources to help you build emotional intelligence skills.
• Beyond Blueoffers chat support, programs and online resources to help people manage their emotions and mental health.
• headspace offers counselling and guidance in building emotional intelligence for young people and their families.
• The Emotional Intelligence Society of Australia (EISA) has information on strengthening emotional intelligence, as well as training sessions and events.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Languages other than English

• Relationships WA offers workshops and information about emotional intelligence in languages other than English.
• Embrace Multicultural Mental Health provides mental health resources and personal stories translated in more than 30 languages.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

• WellMob — Healing Our Way has online social, emotional and cultural wellbeing resources.
• headspace has a range of ways to support you online or by phone.
• Black Dog Institute has support services for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.