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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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2025 had a word for me: integration ✨ Not doing m 2025 had a word for me: integration ✨

Not doing more (though, it was BIG!)
Bringing things together.

This year held so much.
Publishing The Somatic Workbook with @pesipublishing 📕 
Meaningful podcast and article conversations.
Leading multiple workshops.
Moving house.
Watching the little ones start kindergarten.

Big professional milestones alongside amazing personal shifts and big birthdays too.

Somewhere along the way, the theme became clear.
Integration of mind and body.
Learning and living.
Growth with steadiness.

I even made a mug at one workshop with @made_and_nurtured_art to mark it.

As I look ahead, integration is coming with me into the next season.

If you are starting your year craving more regulation and reflection, The Somatic Workbook was designed for exactly that. Practical exercises, journaling, and nervous system support that you can actually use. (Link with bonuses in bio 🔗)

A beautiful way to close one year and consciously shape the next.
Here’s to a year and a life well lived.

💖Until soon, Kaitlin xx
The best Christmas present isn’t under the tree. A The best Christmas present isn’t under the tree.
And if this season feels both joyful and heavy, you’re not alone.

From an evidence-based lifestyle medicine and psychology perspective, the most protective thing you can offer yourself right now is nervous system support.

A few gentle ways to move through the holidays:

🎄 Eat to steady your body, not to be “good.” Regular meals with protein, fibre, and fats support mood, energy, and emotional regulation.
🎄 Consider non-alcoholic swaps some of the time. Better sleep equals more emotional bandwidth the next day.
🎄 Move in small, human ways. Walks, stretching, or even doing the dishes help the body release stress.
🎄 Choose presence over perfection. Relationships matter more than how things look.
🎄 Hold joy and grief. You can laugh and still miss someone. Both belong.
🎄 Practise kindness and altruism. Many people are carrying invisible losses. Donating, checking in, or helping out supports others and the research shows it supports our wellbeing too.

This year has been full, meaningful, and deeply human. I’m grateful for the conversations, the learning, and the chance to support nervous system compassion and I look forward to continuing that work in the year ahead.

If you’re moving through this season imperfectly, gently, or with mixed emotions, you’re doing it right.
PSA: We don’t regulate our nervous systems with in PSA: We don’t regulate our nervous systems with insight alone.
And we don’t heal through body-based tools without psychological skills.

It’s the both/and that matters.

The things in this carousel aren’t “luxuries” or once-a-year treats. They’re the quiet, repeatable supports that make daily life feel more workable. Tools that help the body feel safe and give the mind something steady to lean on.

I use every single thing on this list. Not because I need more stuff, but because they genuinely make my life better. When family ask what I want, I often say gift certificates (massage, sauna, bodywork), because being cared for through the body is deeply regulating and long-lasting.

And alongside that? Psychological strategies. Practising skills that help you meet anxiety, stress, and overwhelm with less self-blame and more choice. Hence, I wrote The Somatic Workbook for Nervous System Regulation and Anxiety Management. Learning how your nervous system works. 

This post isn’t really about Christmas…
It’s about how we support ourselves across an entire year.

Save this for when you need ideas that actually soothe your system, and share it with someone who could use a little more nervous system support heading into 2026 🤍

PS can you find the bonus C on the front page… let’s say it’s there for a little extra recommended *calm* 😉

@shaktimats 
@altinadrinks 
@drink.mellows 
@kobobooks 
@loopearplugs 
@locolovechocolate 
@loopearplugs
This season, the real flex is slowing down enough This season, the real flex is slowing down enough to feel your own body again.✨

I’ve been playing with a few new tools to navigate my nervous system in the rush toward year’s end (hello CrossFit-style class… and yes, that Lagree class I shared last week!). And in the evenings, this looks like giving my legs some much-needed TLC with the @shaktimats Acupressure Leg Wraps (magic 💖).

These wraps hug your calf and upper leg with such clever design, they avoiding the shin, adjustable compression straps, and honestly… the moment you put them on, you have to sit down. Which, for so many of us during the holidays, is half the medicine.

A built-in pause.
A forced exhale.
A moment to be with yourself (and… perhaps… your book or journal!)

I’ve been settling in and just let the acupressure do its thing while reading, relaxing and soaking up the slow of some grounding breaths and horizontal time in front of the tree. A small ritual of care in a month where energy pours outward in every direction… caregiving, planning, wrapping, doing.

And while my focus has been on recovery and balancing movement and stress, a colleague shared that she’s been using these wraps to help her navigate some of the muscular tension and sensory discomfort she experiences with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). It really highlighted how adaptable these kinds of tools can be, whether it’s supporting tired legs, providing gentle pressure, encouraging grounding, or simply creating a moment of stillness we wouldn’t otherwise take.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know I’m all about practices and tools that create space for the body to settle. Not hacks. But intentional little invitations back to ourselves, especially in seasons where we need it most.

So if you’re in the thick of the holiday busyness, consider this your reminder: you’re allowed to stop. You’re allowed to care for the body that carries so much. And you’re allowed to invest in the support that helps you move into the new year nourished, not depleted. 

Have you tried Shakti? Thoughts👇
This morning I tried something new… and wow, what This morning I tried something new… and wow, what a beautiful way to start a Sunday.

I went to a Lagree class at @corebrew_lagree here on Kaurna Land in the Adelaide CBD, and the moment I stepped inside I could feel my whole system exhale. The studio was open and bright, sunlight streaming in, that soft morning glow filling the space.

There’s something special about moving your body in a way it’s not used to - waking up deep stabilisers, slowing things down enough to truly feel the effort, the tremble, the strength building from the inside out. Lagree is such an interesting blend of slow, mindful resistance and controlled challenge… which, in many ways, is exactly what somatic work invites too. Not pushing through. Not dominating the body. But meeting sensation with awareness, curiosity, and breath.

Trying something new can be a little nerve-wracking… that flutter of activation we all feel stepping into the unfamiliar. Yet, it can also be such a gift! Today it reminded me how aliveness often sits just on the other side of “I’m not sure about this.”

And the best part? The community feel. People smiling, chatting, supporting each other. I even ran into someone I studied with many years ago, which made the world feel suddenly smaller in such a connecting way. I finished the class to have my coffee ready, perfection.

Tell me, have you tried Lagree? If not, lean into your curiosity ✨
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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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