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  • Home
  • About Kaitlin
  • Somatic Workbook [Pre-Order]
  • Podcast & Blog
  • Learn with Kaitlin
  • Contact
  • FREE STRESS RELIEF TRAINING

Healing doesn't just happen through thinking — it unfolds as you learn to be with your body.

If you're constantly anxious, overwhelmed, or exhausted, your nervous system might be trying to tell you something.

The Somatic Workbook for Nervous System Regulation and Anxiety Management helps you move beyond just talking about your struggles—  and starts healing them in your body.

Review + Receive the Bonus Course Free
This is so much more than a workbook—it's a powerful toolkit that provides both immediate and long-term relief from anxiety. It’s an instant classic, a must-read for anyone who suffers with anxiety and trauma. Every page was vital—page after page of unique stories and personal examples, enlightening explanations based on medical science, actionable exercises that I truly wanted to do, and even visual aids that helped immediately clarify and simplify a very complex issue into a clear path forward. By the time I finished the workbook, I knew I was holding a resource that I would recommend again and again to every patient who suffers with anxiety. Thank you, Dr. Harkess, for the best book on anxiety I have ever read.
Laura Koniver MD
Laura Koniver, MD
Physician and author of The Earth Prescription
The Somatic Workbook offers an accessible, compassionate, and evidence-informed guide to understanding and regulating physiological state through body-based practices. Kaitlin Harkess integrates foundational principles of Polyvagal Theory with psychological flexibility and practical tools for healing, making this a valuable resource for those navigating anxiety and striving to reconnect with safety and self. This book will empower readers to explore the wisdom of their nervous system with clarity, kindness, and scientific grounding.
Dr Stephen Porges
Stephen W. Porges, PhD
Distinguished University Scientist, Originator of Polyvagal Theory
The Somatic Workbook for Nervous System Regulation and Anxiety Management

Using powerful approaches like ACT, IFS, polyvagal theory, and mindfulness, you'll learn to:

  • Soothe anxiety in the moment
  • Create a deep sense of internal safety
  • Release stress and stuck emotional energy
  • Stay grounded through life's ups and downs
  • Keep your inner parts from running the show
  • Build a body-centered self-care routine

Whether you're drowning in stress or just want to reconnect with your body, this workbook gives you the tools to feel better - for real.

Meet Dr. Kaitlin

Dr Kaitlin N. Harkess, PhD, is the author of The Somatic Workbook for Nervous System Regulation and Anxiety Management (PESI Publishing, October 2025), host of the Wisdom for Wellbeing podcast, and founder of holistic therapy practice Wisdom for Wellbeing. A Clinical Psychologist and long-time yoga and meditation teacher, Kaitlin has helped hundreds of individuals experiencing anxiety, overwhelm and burnout reconnect with their bodies and build resilience through integrative, evidence-informed practices. 

Kaitlin’s pioneering research was the first to examine how yoga impacts stress and mental health at an epigenetic level  (the science of how lifestyle affects gene expression), and she continues to advance the field as a Titleholder at the University of Adelaide’s School of Psychology. Kaitlin also convenes the Australian Psychological Society’s Yoga and Psychology Interest Group and regularly trains clinicians in somatic psychology. 

Based on Kaurna Land in Adelaide, Kaitlin balances her professional work with coastal walks, family life, and a love of the outdoors. Originally from the Canadian Rockies, hiking remains as essential to her wellbeing as her yoga practice.

Dr Kaitlin resting her head on a stack of psychology books while smiling

Leave a Review and Receive Exclusive Bonuses

When you take the time to leave a review for The Somatic Workbook, you’ll gain access to a collection of resources designed to help you put the practices into action right away:

  • 🎁 Free Video Course — Somatic Skills for Everyday Resilience
    In this short, practical course, I’ll guide you through simple, evidence-based practices to regulate your nervous system and bring your mind and body back into balance. 

  • 📝 Downloadable Reflection Journal
    Extra prompts to deepen your self-understanding.

  • 🎧 Audio Downloads
    Short guided practices you can listen to on the go — like having me in your pocket. 

First, order from your chosen retailer:

Amazon
PESI
Barnes & Noble
Amazon Australia

Next, have a read!

With her signature warmth, Dr. Kaitlin Harkess offers a rigorous, grounded path to lasting nervous system healing. This is not just another book of coping skills. It’s a rare integration of science and intervention specifically for those already well-versed in personal growth who are seeking depth, not just direction. Dr. Harkess translates complex psychological theory into actionable tools without watering down concepts, guides readers through poignant self-inquiry, and teaches strategies that truly work. This is a profound resource for anyone ready to stop managing anxiety and start transforming it. I’ll be recommending it to many of my clients!
Hayden Finch, PhD
Author of The Psychology of Procrastination and The Easy Habits Journal
Dr Kaitlin Holding The Somatic Workbook

Then, write a review on Amazon and/or GoodReads.

If you’ve never done a review on Amazon, simply scroll down until you see the section that says “Customer Reviews.” Then, click “Write a customer review.” It doesn’t need to be anything too fancy; it’s just a chance to let people know if you think this book might be helpful for them.

Amazon Review
GoodReads Review

Now it's time to get your bonuses:

This workbook helps readers build a compassionate relationship with their own bodies and emotions. Through simple, creative practices, it teaches people how to feel, reflect, and act with purpose—even when things get tough. Grounded in experiential wisdom and aligned with the processes of psychological flexibility, it’s a powerful tool for growth and resilience.
Steven Hayes
Steven C. Hayes, PhD
Foundation Professor of Psychology Emeritus, University of Nevada, Reno and Originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
The Somatic Workbook is a delight to read. This comprehensive yet practical guide will help you connect with your body and senses, soothe anxiety, and foster a sense of safeness and calm. Dr Harkess gently and skilfully guides her readers on a journey to self-compassion, weaving together personal stories with simple exercises and providing options to suit any reader. Wrap yourself up in this book. Your body and mind will thank you!
Jennifer Kemp
Jennifer Kemp, MPsych (Clinical)
Author of The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism and co-author of The Neurodivergence Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD

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✨ Last day to grab the free book copy! ✨ A little ✨ Last day to grab the free book copy! ✨

A little reminder that today is the final day to download The Somatic Workbook for Nervous System Regulation and Anxiety Management for free via Kindle. It’s being offered as a gift to support building Amazon reviews 💝

A lot of you have shared how the practices are already supporting you, and quite a few psychologists have messaged saying they’re using the exercises with clients too. While the book is written for a general audience, the tools are very clinician-friendly.

Amazon has made the setup a bit confusing, so here’s how to get the free version without Kindle Unlimited:

📚 Go to the book page

📚Tap Kindle

📚You’ll see two options: “Read with Kindle Unlimited” and “Buy for $0.00”

📚Tap “Buy for $0.00” — this gives you the book for free (no subscription needed)

📚 Read it in your browser or the free Kindle app

If the workbook resonates, leaving a quick review on Amazon helps it reach more people who might really need these nervous-system-supportive tools right now. 💛

Link is in my bio or at drkaitlin.com/somaticworkbook.
Here’s what psychologists quietly teach: reflectin Here’s what psychologists quietly teach: reflecting on death can redirect your life.

I often use mortality reflection to help people get clear on their values, priorities, and how they actually want to live. Learning here about the idea of death tracking, colouring in a square each Monday to mark another week lived, and I am intrigued by how it can gently nudge us toward alignment (weekly!)

A few important notes: this may not be for everyone. If it triggers anxiety, rumination, or avoidance, trust yourself and skip it. Mortality awareness is a tool, not a punishment, and individual differences matter.

If it does support you, it can act like a compass, helping you focus on values, relationships, lifestyle habits such as movement, sleep, nourishing food, and social connection, and the kind of life you actually want to be living. Pair it with a reflection like, “If someone had to write my obituary today, what would I want it to say?” and suddenly Mondays feel like a check-in with purpose, not just a day.

Big thanks to @mamamiaaus @mamamiaoutloud  and @wainwrightholly for bringing this fascinating practice to my attention. Mondays may never be the same!

Save this for a day you need clarity 🧭 
Share it with someone who might be looking for their purpose this week 🤗
“Free therapy? Not quite. But something that might “Free therapy? Not quite. But something that might support your nervous system in a really beautiful way…” 💛✨

The Somatic Workbook is FREE on Kindle from Nov 14–18 - so go ahead and grab it (I did too!) at drkaitlin.com/somaticworkbook.

This isn’t just about getting a book into more hands. It’s about something bigger.
When even one of us feels a little more regulated, grounded, and connected, the ripple effects touch our families, our workplaces, our friendships and our whole community.

Sharing nervous system tools is one of the most accessible, compassionate things we can do for collective wellbeing. And right now, with everything happening in the world, small acts of care genuinely matter.

If you download your free copy and it resonates, leaving an Amazon review helps the book reach people who might really need it. And please feel free to share the link with friends, clients, or anyone who could benefit from a gentle, research-backed mind–body resource.

A small action. A big ripple.
Thank you for being part of this community. 💛

Download free via Amazon or head to drkaitlin.com/somaticworkbook
So… are you “in therapy because of your almond mum So… are you “in therapy because of your almond mum”?
I say that jokingly, because therapy is supportive for so many reasons. It can also be the place where we finally understand where certain unhelpful patterns began.

Growing up around constant diet talk, rigidity, or fear-based messaging about food and bodies does more than shape habits. It creates patterns in the nervous system.

Patterns of tightening.

Patterns of overriding hunger or pleasure.

Patterns of confusing control with safety.

*the defectiveness schema (typo in captions says ‘effectiveness’ whoops! 😅)

Over time these patterns blunt our interoception. We lose touch with hunger, fullness, emotion and intuition. When the body gets policed, the body gets quiet. When cues are judged, cues retreat.

And this work is not about blaming ourselves or our mums. Many of us inherited generations of anxiety about worth, safety and appearance. Understanding that helps us step into something new with compassion.

Healing asks us to soften rigidity, rebuild interoception, and let intuition speak again. It asks us to offer care to the parts of us that coped the only way they knew how.

Therapy, nervous system work and psychological skills help us understand these patterns and gently rewire them. Not because we are broken, but because we are finally safe enough to listen inward again.

Your cues are not gone. They are waiting to be trusted.

Follow for more psychological and somatic strategies to reconnect with your body and create healthier patterns. 

And, send this to a friend or sibling who will get the mum dynamic…😳
Your phone is a pokie machine in your pocket. Eve Your phone is a pokie machine in your pocket.

Every time you scroll or check for a message, you’re pulling the lever — chasing that next unpredictable reward.

Maybe there’s:
💬 A message from a friend
❤️ A like or comment
😂 A funny video
😶 Or… nothing

That “maybe” is what keeps you hooked.
This is called a variable reward schedule, the same psychological setup used in gambling addiction.
Your brain releases more dopamine when it doesn’t know if a reward is coming. So, it keeps checking “just in case.”

Over time, this constant anticipation trains your nervous system to stay on alert.
We start to feel:
😵‍💫 Restless without our phone
😔 Flat or distracted after scrolling
💬 Overstimulated but under-connected

It’s not weak willpower, it’s how the brain’s reward system adapts to the environment it’s in.

Out of sight, out of mind:
It takes a lot of mental energy to not reach for your phone when it’s right there. Every act of resistance drains the same willpower you need for focus and creativity. Instead of relying on motivation, change the setup: keep your phone in another room when you work, eat, or sleep. The harder it is to reach, the easier it is to resist.

Use a Brick or lock box:
If “out of sight” isn’t realistic, use structure over self-discipline. Tools like The Brick or time-lock boxes limit access so you’re not negotiating with yourself all day. You can still reach your phone — but the small barrier protects your focus.

Turn off notifications or use grayscale:
Fewer pings and flashes mean fewer dopamine spikes. Simplify what your nervous system has to manage.

Pause before you scroll:
Notice the urge — that flicker of restlessness or boredom — and take one slow breath. Often your body’s asking for rest or connection, not stimulation.

Curate consciously:
Follow accounts that calm and inspire. Mute the ones that drain you.

You don’t need to quit your phone, just learn to use it without being used by it.

Share this with a friend who’d love to feel more focused (and less frazzled).
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Dr. Kaitlin pays her respects to the Kaurna peoples as the Traditional Owner’s of the land on which she works and lives. Dr Kaitlin acknowledges that the Kaurna people have social, spiritual and historical connections to this land and their connections are as strong today as they have always been. She would like to extend this acknowledgment out to the Traditional Owners of the land on which you are based, and to acknowledge the Ktunaxa and Kinbasket Peoples of what is now called Canada, as she was born and gratefully raised on their traditional unceded territory.

Mandala Artwork by Scarlet Barnett
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Psychological Therapy Clinic in Adelaide