Wallington · Bellarine Peninsula
Therapy that happens outside, alongside horses.
Field of Healing offers equine assisted psychotherapy and counselling with Annabel Showers and her horse Twisty. Sessions run for an hour in the paddock and the barn, and they suit people who find a quiet room across from a therapist hard going. There is no riding involved — all of the work happens on the ground.
Annabel Showers, Field of Healing
- One-hour sessions
- Individually or in small groups, by appointment.
- No riding
- Every session is on the ground. No experience needed.
- Private & NDIS
- A registered NDIS provider. Children, teens and adults.
An hour in the open air, at the pace you need it.
Why horses
Horses experience the world differently than people do.
As prey animals, they pay close attention to body language, movement, and what is happening around them. They don't rely on words to communicate, so they often respond to what we do instead of what we say.
In many ways, horses can act like a mirror. Their honest responses can help us notice our emotions, communication, and habits, giving us the chance to pause, reflect, and learn more about ourselves.
Horses are non-judgemental and hold unconditional positive regard, which gives you a safe relationship in which to explore mental health concerns and patterns — and it is why the work often feels less confronting than sitting in a room.
No riding, ever
This is ground-based work from start to finish. Nobody gets on a horse, at any point, in any session. You do not need riding experience or any experience with horses at all — everything happens beside them, with your feet on the ground.
An easier place to start
For children and teenagers especially, being outside with an animal takes the pressure off. Conversation tends to come more easily when you are doing something together.
Practical, not mystical
Annabel's approach is honest and grounded. You work on real things — setting a boundary, staying regulated, asking for what you need — and you practise them with the horse right there.
What it helps with
Areas Annabel works across
Every session is shaped around what you bring to it. These are the things people most often come in with.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Emotional regulation
- Trauma and PTSD
- Self-esteem and confidence
- Boundary setting
- Social concerns
- School refusal
- ADHD
- OCD
- Relationship challenges
- Mindfulness and awareness
- Addiction
- Impulse control
- Trust and empathy
- Distress tolerance
- Eating disorders
What people take away
What the work builds
- Emotional awareness
- Regulation techniques
- Increased social skills
- Confidence and self-esteem
- Reduced stress
- Meaningful connection
- Problem solving
- Connection with nature
Your first hour
What a session looks like
Sessions follow a rhythm rather than a script, but the shape is usually this.
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Arrive and settle
You meet Annabel at the gate and take a few minutes to land. No paperwork on the run, no rushing straight in.
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Meet the horses
You spend time observing and getting alongside them. How a horse responds to you tells you both something useful before a word is said.
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Do the work
Annabel sets up ground activities that connect to what you came in with — holding a boundary, staying calm under pressure, asking clearly for something.
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Make sense of it
You finish by talking through what came up and what it points to, so you leave with something you can actually use during the week.
Meet the herd
Twisty
Twisty is a chestnut with a white blaze and a strong opinion about morning tea. He is the horse most people meet first, and he does much of the work simply by being himself — curious, straightforward, and entirely uninterested in what you think you should be feeling.
You will also meet the others in the paddock. None of them need anything from you except that you turn up as you are.
Counsellor & Equine Assisted Psychotherapist
About Annabel
Twenty years in corporate administration, then a change of pace.
Annabel is a passionate animal lover, mum of two, and a registered counsellor and equine assisted psychotherapist. She grew up around horses and saw early on how healing they can be. After more than twenty years in corporate administration, becoming a mum prompted a realignment of priorities and a move into counselling.
She is a member of the Australian Counselling Association, trained with The Equine & Animal Assisted Psychotherapy Institute, and holds a Diploma of Counselling. She has also volunteered as a riding coach and secretary with Riding for the Disabled Association of Victoria and as a guest speaker for Beyond Blue.