Barefoot Therapists

Barefoot Therapists Barefoot Therapists provides therapy to children and families on the Mornington Peninsula.

Barefoot Therapists, formerly Barefoot OT, is a therapist-owned and operated service which has been offering occupational therapy to children on the Mornington Peninsula since 2013. In recent years Barefoot Therapists has expanded to also provide speech pathology and equine & animal assisted therapy. Therapists work closely with parents, caregivers, other therapists, educators and healthcare profe

ssionals to provide practical solutions and therapeutic intervention as part of your child’s team. Based in Main Ridge & Boneo, we can visit all areas of Mornington Peninsula.

26/06/2026

A newly published 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis has found that animal-assisted services can play a valuable role in supporting children with ADHD.

While the review found limited evidence that animal-assisted services directly reduce core ADHD symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, researchers identified several important benefits:

✅ Increased engagement and motivation in therapy
✅ Improved social interaction and participation
✅ Enhanced emotional regulation
✅ Stronger therapeutic relationships and treatment adherence

The findings suggest that animals can act as powerful therapeutic partners, helping children engage more effectively in evidence-based services and achieve better outcomes.

As the research continues to grow, animal-assisted therapy is increasingly being recognised as a valuable approach that supports children’s social, emotional, and behavioural development.

Read the research here:
https://www.scienceopen.com/document?vid=3c512a0c-eaf6-484b-ba40-27580ebddc39

21/06/2026

Our education programs at Gadara Farm are popping right now. Jump on board! Do it for the kids!

Homeschool can mean adding in professionally designed programs in alternative environments, where there is a tangible go...
20/06/2026

Homeschool can mean adding in professionally designed programs in alternative environments, where there is a tangible goal of learning with others. Alex, our teacher, creates wonderful farm-based sessions for kids learning within organic and holistic approaches.

19/06/2026

…will travel. Writing on the board and developing emotions all feels a little more fun with Django helping out. Alex is such a creative teacher and she’s in our groups, tutoring and education programs at Gadara Farm.

Nature, farm and animal assisted learning are best when provided by a qualified educator or teacher who has a range of e...
17/06/2026

Nature, farm and animal assisted learning are best when provided by a qualified educator or teacher who has a range of evidence based approaches to integrate with nature and holistic practices.

According to research by Veronica Bergman et al (2023) teachers must have the knowledge and skills for these kinds of eco-friendly practices. Bergman says ‘competence is not enough; teachers need to have personal engagement, self-reliance, and agency to set these activities into practice.’ She also adds that they must also ‘be conscious of how they communicate with the children during the activities to support the children’s curiosity, engagement, and learning in the process.’

We have 14 years of developing our programs and our staff to deliver highly effective programs. Whether your goal is learning related or increasing connectivity with peers, we have sessions and programs to suit you.

Alex, our teacher, pictured here gadara_farm supporting a child’s learning by including connection with animals, can help students develop confidence, motivation, mastery, reading, writing, maths, and holistic wellbeing. They are all connected. Using ND affirming and trauma informed approaches which we support with ongoing professional development, our programs are professional and targeted to individual needs.

Ever wondered why outdoor education programs work? It’s partly the environment, sometimes also animals, and we find, it’...
17/06/2026

Ever wondered why outdoor education programs work? It’s partly the environment, sometimes also animals, and we find, it’s mostly the skills and experience of the teacher. Alex, our teacher creates an indoor/outdoor space as a farm-based teacher at gadara_farm.

While some programs may be experiential or educational, the icing on the cake which makes farm-based learning programs effective, is where nature, gardening, animals or farming are utilised by a professional teacher and integrated into existing evidence based approaches to learning.

Otherwise it’s something families can usually organise themselves. Our main message is to get outside - it’s good for you. But if your child needs more learning expertise, we are here.

therapycarefarm

16/06/2026

Sarah (OT / Wayfinder) and Bronwyn (Practice Manager) went to Pathways Expo to talk about Barefoot Therapists “Transition to Adulthood” program. Great turnout of agencies all there to support students leaving Special Education and looking into work, day options and housing options.

Barefoot’s Transition to Adulthood Program including OT reports for NDIS relating to functional capacity and independent...
12/06/2026

Barefoot’s Transition to Adulthood Program including OT reports for NDIS relating to functional capacity and independent living were discussed widely at the expo today.

Our program helps kids who are leaving the support of the school system and/or young adults who need significant help to navigate life in adult services and lifestyles both with adapting, learning skills and having assessments and reports for funding and referrals.

OT’s use models, frameworks and paradigms that clients wouldn’t even know are embedded in our assessment and treatment. ...
08/06/2026

OT’s use models, frameworks and paradigms that clients wouldn’t even know are embedded in our assessment and treatment. This is a relatively new model of OT which relates well to our nature focused concepts in the garden and at gadara_farm. So interesting to see the profession evolving away from the more medical language while also remaining based on scientific evidence and researched approaches which make it effective.

based practice

Address

1/16 Henry Wilson Drive
Rosebud, VIC
3939

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61359811120

Website

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