The increasing severity of the climate crisis requires a holistic approach to climate literacy that includes both intellectual and emotional dimensions. This study argues that addressing the emotional aspects of climate change is essential for promoting proenvironmental behavior. As climate emotions are emerging, there is a critical need for sustainability practitioners with both knowledge and emotional competencies to navigate complex environmental challenges. Despite their significance, the emotional dimensions of climate change are often overlooked in sustainability discussions. To bridge this gap, climate emotions and competencies should become integral parts of climate literacy and be incorporated at all levels of learning. Engaging in introspective understanding and (re-)categorizing personal emotions in relation to the crisis could be an essential step toward climate literacy. This process would not only deepen the psychological understanding of climate change but also enhance individuals’ abilities to process these emotions constructively and engage in environmental actions. To further elaborate this thesis, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted with professionals working in the sustainability context about their emotional experience of climate change and the resulting challenges. The main findings of the study suggest that sustainability practitioners feel empowered in their working lives when they get the opportunity to self-reflect and express themselves by exploring their personal intrinsic motivators, thoughts, and feelings. The ability to reflect on personal emotional experiences is key to bridging the gap between rational understanding and emotional competence in climate literacy. The study highlights the importance of creating safe spaces for emotional exploration in the sustainability field.