Child Psych Podcast Episode #139

[Tania Johnson]
Hello and welcome back to another master class. I am Tania Johnson, and today I am so thrilled to have Steve Biddulph here with us. Welcome, Steve.

[Steve Biddulph]
Hello, Tania. And terrific to be talking to people way over there from down here in Tasmania.  So hello everyone.

[Tania Johnson]
The world is such a small place now. It’s incredible.

For those who may not be familiar, Steve is one of the world’s best-known parenting educators. Over 40 years now, right Steve?

 

[Steve Biddulph]
Yes, 40 years since I first wrote a book and 50 since I became a psychologist. So I’m amazed I’m still on my feet.

[Tania Johnson]
Steve is also one of the top-selling parenting authors in the world. His books have reached six million homes and have been translated into 32 languages. Today we’re focusing on his newest book, Wild Creature Mind. Steve, I love the title. It’s so evocative.

[Steve Biddulph]
Yes. We designed the book especially with teenagers in mind. The concept of the “animal self” has strong neuroscience behind it, but we wanted to make it appealing and accessible. The cover art, with a tiger inside the silhouette of a mind, took months to get just right. It says exactly what the book is about.

The Global Epidemic of Anxiety

[Tania Johnson]
What inspired Wild Creature Mind? You’ve written so many books—what made you write another?

[Steve Biddulph]
I’m wired to care about big problems. And after climate change, I believe the biggest issue facing the world is anxiety. It’s the largest mental health epidemic in history, affecting an entire generation of young people.

It’s immobilizing people, keeping them from living fully, and even influencing social issues like domestic violence or poor political choices. The traditional psychological approaches—especially purely cognitive ones—haven’t been enough.

The newest neuroscience tells us anxiety isn’t a malfunction. It’s our body’s way of trying to get our attention. But we’ve been ignoring what it’s telling us. That’s why I wrote this book.

Defining the Wild Creature Mind

[Tania Johnson]
So what exactly is a “wild creature mind”?

[Steve Biddulph]
The best way to understand it is to think about how we’re talking now. Our left hemispheres are engaging with words, logic, and language. But while we talk, our right hemispheres are at work too, reading facial expressions, body language, and tone—asking, “Am I safe with this person?”

That’s the wild creature part of us. It’s our intuitive, embodied sense of safety and connection.

[Tania Johnson]
So the left is language and logic, and the right is our deep intuition—that sense of “something feels off” or “this feels safe.”

[Steve Biddulph]
Exactly. And we see it even in newborns. Babies can read their mother’s facial expressions to assess safety. If a mother freezes her face, a baby will panic. That’s the wild creature mind at work.

But in our culture, we’ve lost touch with this right-brain wisdom. Wild Creature Mind is about restoring that balanc

How to Reconnect With Your Felt Sense

[Tania Johnson]
What happens to the wild creature mind over time? Kids seem so in tune with it when they’re little.

[Steve Biddulph]
That’s right. But over time, if they don’t get validation—if parents don’t say things like, “I don’t feel comfortable about this” or “Let’s sit with that feeling”—children stop trusting their felt sense.

Neuroscience tells us that the right hemisphere sends direct messages to the body. These feelings are not vague or woo-woo. They’re messages of wisdom.

[Tania Johnson]
Can you give us an exercise to help reconnect with this felt sense?

[Steve Biddulph]
Absolutely. Think of two people you care about. Now picture one in detail—face, voice—and then notice what sensations arise in your body. Do the same with the second person. The differences you feel are your felt sense communicating. That’s the wild creature speaking to you.

[Tania Johnson]
I did it with my parents. My dad brought a warm, calm feeling near my heart. My mom, who’s more energetic, evoked a more expansive sensation. Completely different.

[Steve Biddulph]
That’s a perfect example. Every person, thought, or experience has a unique felt sense. It updates in real time and communicates through the body. When we pay attention, it can guide us—whether it’s about a forgotten passport or unresolved grief.

The Language of the Body

[Tania Johnson]
Can we talk more about how this felt sense is connected to the body and limbic system?

[Steve Biddulph]
Sure. Let’s back up to brain hemispheres. All creatures have divided brains—one side focused on detail and goal pursuit, the other open to the whole picture. Think of a bird looking for a worm while scanning for predators. The left brain gets things done; the right brain keeps us safe and connected.

[Tania Johnson]
So when we’re anxious and stuck in our heads, it’s the left brain going in circles. The wild creature helps us return to peace.

[Steve Biddulph]
Precisely. When we tap into body sensations—what the right hemisphere is communicating—we can often resolve anxiety or discover deeper truths.

I describe it as saying, “There is something in me that feels anxious,” instead of “I am anxious.” It creates space and curios

Using Wild Creature Mind With Children

[Tania Johnson]
This is such a practical approach for parents too. What does it look like to help a child tune into their wild creature?

[Steve Biddulph]
Ask simple questions: “Where does that feeling live in your body? What color is it? What does it want to tell you?”

Younger children often know immediately. They might say, “I don’t think I like that friend,” or “I’m really sad my friend is moving.” By helping them stay with the feeling, we support emotional clarity and resilience.

Co-Regulation and the Parent’s Role

[Tania Johnson]
What about for teenagers? They seem especially disconnected from their felt sense—maybe because of screens or stress.

[Steve Biddulph]
This is where co-regulation is key. Our job as parents is to be less anxious than our kids. If we’re calm and grounded, they’ll come down to meet us.

If we’re present and listening—really listening—they’ll feel safe. It’s not about what we say. It’s about how we are.

[Tania Johnson]
Yes, they sense it. They know when we’re fully with them. I actually thought of you this morning in yoga. I had an emotional release in a pose and realized—it’s when we drop into the body that we meet the wild creature again.

[Steve Biddulph]
Beautiful example. Activities like yoga, hiking, or even tremoring can surface buried memories and help the body release held trauma.

In the book, I describe remembering a traumatic hospital experience as a child—decades later—through body movement. The body holds everything.

Final Reflections on Wild Creature Mind

[Tania Johnson]
Steve, your book reads like a long, loving conversation. It feels personal, like sitting with you on a couch. It’s both profound and accessible.

[Steve Biddulph]
Thank you, Tania. That was exactly my goal. I don’t care about being remembered—I care about the future of your children and grandchildren. If I can send love into that future through this work, I’ll die a happy man.

[Tania Johnson]
Thank you so much, Steve, for this extraordinary conversation. And to our listeners—may your wild creature mind awaken and guide you well.

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