PurposeThe goal of this study is to test the real-world use of an emotion recognition system.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers chose an existing algorithm that displayed high accuracy and speed. Four emotions: happy, sadness, anger and surprise, are used from six of the universal emotions, associated by their own mood markers. The mood-matrix interface is then coded as a web application. Four guidance counselors and 10 students participated in the testing of the mood-matrix. Guidance counselors answered the technology acceptance model (TAM) to assess its usefulness, and the students answered the general comfort questionnaire (GCQ) to assess their comfort levels.FindingsResults from TAM found that the mood-matrix has significant use for the guidance counselors and the GCQ finds that the students were comfortable during testing.Originality/valueNo study yet has tested an emotion recognition system applied to counseling or any mental health or psychological transactions.