Wild Creature Mind: The Neuroscience Breakthrough That Helps You Transform Anxiety and Live a Fiercely Loving Life

by Steve Biddulph

WE HAVE TWO MINDS.

The world's top-selling parenting writer, and author of Raising Boys, Steve Biddulph, says that we don't just have two halves of our brain - left and right - but we also have two minds.

We have our normal mind, which overthinks, rattles about and gets defensive. And we have the real us - our complex, super-intelligent Wild Creature Mind, full of life, insight and empathy. These two minds are meant to work as a team, but in our busy modern society, we've all but forgotten how to listen to our Wild Creature Mind.

In the midst of the world's worst mental health crisis, Steve shows how adults, teens and even young children can use their intricate gut feelings to overcome anxiety, grow strong boundaries, and to heal and be whole again.

There's a panther inside you, deadly and alert. There's a little soft bear cub, needing your care. There's a million years of wisdom, lying silent, waiting to help you. It will be so pleased when you finally listen!

This is absolute science, yet incredibly simple, and about to change your life.


Praise for Steve Biddulph

'Steve Biddulph is a spellbinder.' Charles Wooley

'When you find a guru willing to change his mind when evidence and humanity prompt, you rejoice. For me, Steve Biddulph is the man.' Libby Purves

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Health

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2024

About the author

Stephen John Biddulph AM is an Australian author, activist and psychologist who has written a number of influential bestselling books; and lectures worldwide on parenting, and boys' education. He is married and has two children and grandchildren.

Reviews

[Ginny Yurich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about engaging your right brain more and the benefits of that. I learned a lot of interesting things. I read it while we drove home from TN in snowmaggedon. Josh drove. I read. 😁

[Louise Donegan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had really enjoyed Steve Biddulph’s “Raising Boys” and found it to be sensible, insightful and helpful so I was keen to read his thoughts on anxiety. Unfortunately this book didn’t resonate with me in the same way. I felt it kept promising these wonderful techniques -essentially mindfulness- and also made some assumptions, I felt, that all anxiety was steeped in some past major trauma. It had some good insights but ultimately fell short for me.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

My therapist recommended this book and I was sceptical at first, as I've become a bit fed up with 'self-help' books, but I was so touched by Steve Biddulp's intelligent writing and extensive research that I sighed when I finished it - his warmth and compassion flows through the book and embodies itself into your soul. Thank you Steve 🙏🏼

[Rose Bowett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was really really helpful but bro is cringe. He literally rawr x3ed me in chapter 1 smh

[Emma Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life-changing

Absolute eye opener, I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Especially members of the community who are neurodivergent!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

WE HAVE TWO MINDS.
We have our normal mind, which overthinks, rattles about and gets defensive. And we have the real us - our complex, super-intelligent Wild Creature Mind, full of life, insight and empathy. These two minds are meant to work as a team, but in our busy modern society, we've all but forgotten how to listen to our Wild Creature Mind.
.
In the midst of the world's worst mental health crisis, Steve shows how adults, teens and even young children can use their intricate gut feelings to overcome anxiety, grow strong boundaries, and to heal and be whole again.
.
This book was written in easy to read (and understand!) language, so no fancy science or medical terminology - and is very relatable to the reader. I found this very simple to understand, and fascinating to learn more about our minds and anxiety. I’ve been able to implement some of the strategies (still a conscious effort to do so at this early stage), and use the key points with one of my kids who was having big feelings (and it was effective!!). If you have an interest in neuroscience and anxiety, definitely check this one out and let me know what you think!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book immensely. Useful for everyone who feels anxiety even slightly or knows someone who suffers from anxiety. The author demonstrates principles easily with actionable suggestions to help ease anxiety.

Really eye opening and worth reading!
Life changing book✨

[Prim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wild Creature Mind by Eleanor Wilkinson explores the power of reconnecting with our inner instincts and emotions. The book focuses on the "Wild Creature Mind," a part of the brain responsible for our primal instincts, emotional awareness, and physical sensations. It teaches that by listening to these physical sensations—called "felt sense"—we can better understand and manage our emotions.

The book introduces techniques like breathing exercises, body scans, and Tension/Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) to help release tension and trauma. These practices allow the body to process stress naturally and promote emotional healing.

Social connections are also vital for well-being. The Wild Creature Mind is highly developed for sociability, helping us navigate relationships. The book stresses that true freedom comes from balancing social connection with staying true to ourselves.

The author also explores the importance of dreams, suggesting that they are a way for the Wild Creature Mind to communicate with the thinking mind, offering insight into unresolved emotions. It provides techniques for managing nightmares to help with emotional processing.

In the end, Wild Creature Mind emphasizes living authentically by embracing both our instincts and social connections, leading to emotional balance and healing.

[Ryan Bartok · Rating 1 out of 5]

Steve Biddulph’s Wild Creature Mind proposes that we each have two minds—our rational self and an instinctive, emotional ‘wild creature’—meant to work in harmony.

He argues that modern life disrupts this balance, and that anxiety is our wild mind trying to get our attention. His solution? Listen to it, accept it, and find healing through reconnection.

It’s a compelling idea—one I wanted to believe—but ultimately, it reads as pop psychology dressed in metaphor.

While I can agree that anxiety can sometimes signal misalignment or a need for change, the kind of anxiety experienced by those picking up a book like this (me) is not a helpful evolutionary whisper—it’s a crippling, inappropriate response to ordinary life. I’m not interested in “honouring” the lion in my chest when it tells me to hide under the table during a dinner with friends.

Biddulph also takes aim at CBT, criticising it for promoting acceptance, then later makes the exact same argument in favour of welcoming anxiety as a messenger. The contradiction is frustrating.

All respect to the author—his past work on adolescent psychology has been insightful and genuinely helpful. But for me, Wild Creature Mind is another entry in the growing library of well-meaning but impractical self-help.

[Sarah Millington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book because I read an interview with Steve Biddulph and thought it sounded interesting. Its basic premise is that we have two sides to our brain - the left, thinking side and the right 'Wild Creature' one. If only we could tap into this resource we'd all be much happier and more well-adjusted. Biddulph certainly makes a convincing case, drawing on the work of neuroscientist Iain McGilchrist and the 'focusing' community, including Eugene and Mary Gendlin, who found a way to tap into the inner self. He aims to bring the two strands together in a practical guide that anyone can follow, using stories and anecdotes from his own life. He mostly succeeds, though I did find his style a bit grating at times, such as the overuse of "dear reader". My favourite part was the end, when he goes into a bit more depth for those with more stamina. A noble effort to bring science and psychology to the masses.

[Linda Irwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this a month or so back and an struggling to remember anything much about it, so on that basis have rated 2*. I think it's broadly on the same lines as the monkey brain idea and various other similar concepts. I do remember it being positive and interesting, but no novel concepts or ah ha moments.

[D'face · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not convinced that we have two minds or that there is a wild creature spirit dwelling inside that needs to be asked where it is residing, what it feels like, what colour is it and what does it have to say to me. Sorry, I could not connect.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book immensely. Useful for everyone for feels anxiety even slightly or knows someone who suffers from anxiety. The author demonstrates principles easily with actionable suggestions to help ease anxiety.

Really eye opening and worth reading!
Life changing book ✨

[Monica Agius · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has changed my outlook and my ability to process difficult emotions. It is easy to read and relate to.

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[LouD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever I catch myself talking to myself (!), I find I am repeating the wisdom of this book.

[Janine Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous fresh insights from neuroscience in easy to read writing; particularly liked the TRE description and guidance.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and a lot resonated with me. I have definitely silenced my right hemisphere and will work on the strategies and lessons to try and listen to it more in 2026

[Annabel Emery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, this book helped me through a hard period of my life. I loved the concept but I didn’t always appreciate the examples, I found them quite simple and cringey, though the overall message was eventually conveyed. I found the exercises useful.