Willow Therapy Farm

09/05/2026

🌿 Their Worry Books 🌿

At Willow Therapy Farm, I began noticing something very important across several of the therapy animals. Even though the original frightening situations had happened a long time ago, their nervous systems still remembered them.

Muffin still hesitates before jumping onto someone’s knee after once hurting her cheek badly when she missed a jump. Charlie still pauses before jumping the stairs after slipping and hurting himself on a rainy day. Cinda still becomes frightened and reactive during strong winds after experiencing a terrifying storm where trees crashed down around her paddock area.

All three animals were comforted, reassured, loved, and safe after those events. But their nervous systems had kept the “worry page” open. Their bodies remembered the fear, pain, shock, or fright — even long after the actual danger had passed.

Watching these repeated patterns unfold created an important therapeutic metaphor within my Emotion Regulation Therapy work. Sometimes our nervous system stores past frightening experiences inside the body like an open “worry book.” Even when we are safe now, our body can still react as though the old danger may happen again.

This can show up as hesitation, avoidance, hypervigilance, fear responses, worry, or strong body reactions that seem bigger than the current situation. The nervous system is not trying to upset us — it is trying to protect us based on old emotional and body memories.

One of the most important parts of healing can simply be recognising: 🌿 “This may be a memory-book fear, not a new danger.” 🌿

Understanding that the nervous system may be reacting to an old stored memory — rather than something dangerous happening right now — can sometimes help reduce the intensity of the fear itself. That awareness can gently help shift historic or distorted fear responses and create space for the body to slowly feel safer again.

This storyboard gently explores how calm support, emotional safety, understanding, positive experiences, connection, and time can slowly help the nervous system realise: 🌿 “This moment is different from the old one.” 🌿

Over time, the worry page can slowly begin to close.

🌿 Debbie Rowberry
Willow Therapy Farm
Child Behaviourist

09/05/2026

🌿 Theia’s Worry Story 🌿

Tonight at Willow Therapy Farm, I accidentally forgot that Theia was still outside undercover in the rain. When I realised and brought her inside, Theia’s nervous system had already started creating a worried story about what had happened.

Instead of understanding that I had simply forgotten, Theia began worrying that she had done something wrong, that I was upset with her, or even that I didn’t want to be her friend anymore.

As the worried thoughts grew bigger, Theia’s body also began sending strong worry signals — uncomfortable tummy feelings, tension, and emotional unease. Those body feelings then added even more worry to the situation, creating a nervous-system treadmill where the worried thoughts and worried body feelings kept making each other bigger and bigger.

Watching moments like this unfold often creates immediate therapeutic metaphors within my Emotion Regulation Therapy work. Sometimes when our nervous system becomes activated, we can accidentally misread situations, misunderstand people’s intentions, and create a misconstrued perception of what is really happening.

This storyboard gently explores how acknowledging the upset first, staying emotionally connected, calm breathing, kindness, co-regulation, and helping the nervous system feel emotionally safe again can gradually slow the worried story down — allowing the body and mind to settle so clearer understanding can return.

🌿 Debbie Rowberry
Willow Therapy Farm
Child Behaviourist

09/05/2026

🌿 Harley and the Morepork Night 🌿

Last night at Willow Therapy Farm, while the farm was quiet and everyone else was asleep, Harley the duck became unsettled after discovering that her usual sleeping spot had been taken by Mr Duck. Already feeling unsure, the unfamiliar call of the Morepork echoing through the night suddenly felt quite big and scary to her.

Watching moments like these unfold often creates instant therapeutic metaphors within my Emotion Regulation Therapy work. When a nervous system is already unsettled, unfamiliar sounds, changes, or disruptions can suddenly feel much bigger and more overwhelming than they normally would.

Inspired by this nighttime farm moment, I created this Calming Nervous System Storyboard to gently explore how feeling unsettled can affect the way we experience the world around us — and how using calming strategies, self-soothing, and reminding ourselves that we are safe can help our nervous system slowly settle again.

🌿 Debbie Rowberry
www.willowtherapyfarm.co.nz
www.childbehaviourist.com

09/05/2026

🌿 Willow Therapy Farm

Calming Nervous System Storyboards

My work extends beyond animal-assisted emotional regulation therapy to also include environmental nervous system consultancy for neurodiverse and emotionally sensitive individuals. This involves identifying environmental trigger points that may contribute to nervous-system overload within homes, schools, and support environments, along with making recommendations to help lessen nervous-system strain within those spaces.

As another expression of the way I naturally observe and work with nervous systems, emotions, animals, and environments, I wanted to creatively share a range of Calming Nervous System Storyboards.

Inspired by the interactions of the Willow Therapy Farm animals, and the in-the-moment therapeutic metaphors that naturally arise through observing those interactions, these visual storyboards have been created to support daily life challenges and help overwhelmed nervous systems — little and old — feel calmer, safer, and more understood.

Feel free to use, share, or gift them to anyone you feel may benefit from them.

🌿 Debbie Rowberry
Emotion Regulation Therapy
Increasing Emotional Resilience

www.willowtherapyfarm.co.nz

27/06/2025

🌟 Now Available | A Gift for Sensitive Little Hearts 🌟

Introducing Muffin’s Night Light, a gentle sleep companion created especially for neurodiverse and sensitive children.

This soft-spoken audio story, part of the Muffin’s Gentle World series, is lovingly offered to soothe nighttime worries and help your child feel safe and held before sleep.

🐾 Featuring Muffin, one of the real therapy dogs at Willow Therapy Farm in New Zealand.

🕯️ Created by child therapist Debbie Rowberry, this heartfelt audio is a gift of calm for bedtime.

🎧 Listen now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/G-cNfYKI9Vc?feature=shared

🌿 To learn more about our therapy work with animals and children: www.willowtherapyfarm.co.nz

27/06/2025

✨ A Gift for the Sensitive Souls ✨
For the mamas, papas, grandparents, and caregivers of Indigo, Crystal, or Rainbow Children—
Here’s a gentle, etheric audio story to help your little ones remember who they truly are.

🌟 "The Journey of Little Starbright"
A softly spoken tale about Light, Love, and coming into form from the Great I AM.

You can play this during quiet time, before sleep, or while snuggled together under the stars.

✨ Follow Little Starbright’s journey here — may it touch your heart as it has mine:
https://youtu.be/tI1E8OG5F3Y?feature=shared

Much love from Willow Therapy Farm 🌿

03/07/2024

Identifying Overwhelm in Children and Tips to Destress During Holidays

As the end of the term approaches, it's essential for parents to recognise signs of overwhelm in their children. The culmination of academic pressures and extracurricular activities can be a lot for them to handle. Here are some key indicators that your child might be feeling overwhelmed:

1. Changes in Behavior
Look out for sudden mood swings, irritability, or withdrawal from family activities.
2. Physical Complaints
Frequent headaches, stomach aches, or general fatigue can be signs of stress.
3. Sleep Disturbances
Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or frequent nightmares can indicate anxiety.
4. Academic Struggles
A sudden drop in grades or an unusual disinterest in schoolwork can be telling signs.
5.Eating Habits
Noticeable changes in appetite, whether it’s overeating or undereating.

Recognising these signs early can help you take steps to support your child. Here are some pointers to help them destress during the holiday period:

Maintain a Routine
Try to keep some structure in their day to provide a sense of normalcy and security.

Encourage Open Communication
Let your children express their feelings without judgment.

Promote Relaxation Activities
Encourage activities like reading, drawing, or any hobby they enjoy.

Physical Activity
Daily exercise, like a family walk or playing a sport, can significantly reduce stress.

Quality Family Time
Spend quality time together to help your child relax and feel supported.

Mindfulness Practices
Introduce simple mindfulness exercises or breathing techniques to help them manage anxiety.

Taking these steps can make a significant difference in your child's well-being. Holidays should be a time of joy and relaxation, and with the right support, your child can enjoy this break to the fullest.

24/06/2024

🌟 Unlock Your Inner Strength with Emotion Resilience Mentoring! 🌟

Hi everyone, I’m excited to share my new website with you!

Are you ready to overcome challenges and enhance your emotional well-being? Visit Emotion Resilience Mentor to discover how you can transform stress, anxiety, and emotional setbacks into growth and resilience.

Special Offer: For just $100, experience a 20-minute Emotion Resilience Transformative Session, blending emotion-focused energy work and guided imagery to neutralize emotional blocks and enhance your well-being.

Take the first step towards personal growth and inner peace. Click the link below to learn more and book your session today!

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It's just an Emotion Resilience session away

27/06/2023

26/06/2023

If your child is struggling with anxiety, the Emotion Regulation Therapy programme increases childrens emotion resilience. Intake is open now for term 3. Contact Debbie for more information.

Willow Therapy Farm. Providing Emotion Regulation Therapy for children with anxiety.Emotion Regulation Therapy is a transformative approach for children struggling with an