Nature's Edge Therapy Center, Inc.

We have been bringing our daughter, Taite, to NETC since October 2010 for speech and occupational therapy. We are amazed with the progress that she has been making! She truly enjoys going to therapy and never says “I don’t want to go!” The therapists make the experience fun and engaging using traditional therapy techniques along with animal assisted therapy. That’s Taite’s favorite part, of course!

Taite has been receiving various therapy since she was 13 months old. We have been to several different therapy centers but NETC is by far the best yet! We feel so grateful that Heidi, the OT, was able to identify issues with Taite’s vision and make a referral to a vision therapist. We had no idea she had vision problems and no other OT (or doctor or neurologist or school professional) had even mentioned that perhaps she had vision issues. Heidi is wonderful at engaging Taite in therapy and always has practical suggestions for carry--over at home. I admire her ability to be patient and stay focused especially when my daughter isn’t!

Becky, the speech therapist and Director, has helped us to better understand Taite’s speech problems. She has a very comprehensive approach that doesn’t just focus on articulation but other parts of language as well. I believe this is why Taite's speech has been progressing so well since coming to NETC. We have seen improvement in her overall language skills and I am amazed at Becky’s creativity to engage Taite in a task that could otherwise be very dull. She also has practical suggestions for home and was very open to working with us on creating an intensive therapy schedule for Taite this summer.

Becky and Heidi are not only amazing therapists, but amazing people as well. It’s been a true pleasure getting to know them and working with them together to help my daughter. It’s what makes coming to NETC special and above the rest. I am so grateful that they were open (and excited) about doing two week intensive therapy with Taite this summer as I believe it’s already made a difference in her!

Having been with Nature's Edge Therapy Center for five years now as a Board Member, Volunteer, and Donor, i have seen a variety of patients come through the doors and receive ideal intense therapy individualized for each patient in a comfortable ranch setting. The Center strives to personalize each session so the patients enjoy coming. I've seen the staff utilize everything from the plants, dogs, cats, a talking parrot, the horses including two Icelandic Horses (which are my personal favorites as i am part of the Untied States Icelandic Horse Congress) and even a chinchilla to motivate and facilitate patients to reach their goals of better living. I've witnessed Nature's Edge help patients with autism, strokes, memory loss, cerebal palsy, and brain injuries among other disabilities. The loving staff at Nature's Edge has touched many lives sense opening in 2001, including mine.

Natures Edge Therapy Center exemplifies the meaning of "caring".
As you drive through the grounds of the center, you can't help but notice that the property is neat, well maintained and very inviting.
It is amazing to see the number and variety of animals that are used in the care and treatment of the patients.
All of the animals are well cared for and are "people freindly".
There is no doubt that the many hours of time and love given by the staff and volunteers have paid dividends.
Observing the interactions of the staff, while they work with the patients and animals, is an eye opening experience.
you can't help but feel a sense of the hope and confidence being instilled in the lives of the patients and their families.
The feelings of Becky, Heidi, the entire staff , the volunteers, their patients and families can be summed up in three words:
"Natures Edge Cares"

With a son on the Autistic Spectrum everyday life can be a challenge. Our family was struggling just to make it through each and every day - we were exhausted and my son was frustrated. We had so many questions, no real answers, and our son just kept slipping father away from us. Then over a year ago when our son had just turned five we found Nature's Edge Therapy Center, and our lives have been changed ever since.
The staff is caring and dedicated to each client and family's success. They answer any questions we have, give us resources, and teach us techniques we can transfer over to our son's daily life.
We have seen an impressive improvement in our son's communication skills, socialization abilities, behavior control, gross motor and fine motor skills, increase independence in activities of daily living, and safety awareness just to name a few. Most importantly we are seeing how proud he is of his own accomplishments! We are now able to go out to eat for dinners as a family. Such a minute task for other families is a great triumph for ours, and we give a lot of the credit to Nature's Edge Therapy Center.
Thank you Nature's Edge Therapy Center for giving our son his smile back!

A friend asked me to come to Natures Edge Therapy Center and just observe what they do and if I felt they made an IMPACT in the lives of the people they server. Maybe I would be willing to get invlolved. "WOW" is all I could say. To say that this place has captured my heart is an understatement. The Setting, the Animals, and Becky and Heidi Jo are not only qualified to do what they do but they are creative, and find ways to engauge the really tough cases. So that the child or adult look forward to coming back.

I would like to describe Natures Edge Therapy Center as seen through the eyes of this board member and donor.
I see team members of many denominations and backgrounds serving Christ through their love of children and those in need.
I see a dedicated group of professionals sacrificing much greater income to serve, to bring improvement into the lives of families searching for answers for problems they don't know how to deal with.
No matter the reasons for their enthusiasm and dedication, through my eyes, they are a manifestation of Gods love for all.
The combination of their love and skill blended with the utilization of Gods animals to open the hearts and minds of the children with wondrous results.

Nature's Edge offers a comprehensive and unique approach to therapuetic activities with outstanding results that could not be achieved in a clinical environment.

I am currently a board member of this nonprofit organization. I first became involved with Nature's Edge though when my son needed speech therapy over the summer while not receiving services through his school. He has autism and needed speech therapy to help improve his communication. He made tons of progress, but we also received help in working through his picky eating....finally! We carried the ideas introduced during his therapy sessions out at home. He is now able to eat what the rest of his family eats and is willing to try new foods. We will never take these changes for granted. We are so thankful for Nature's Edge!

Nature's edge is an amazing center. It is unique in it's therapy. After years of forcing my child into hospitals and doctors offices to try and get something to happen, finding natures edge was a blessing. the environment and approach towards the therapy made things go much smoother. Absolutely recommend them.

Nature's Edge Therapy Center is THE BEST pediatric therapy site between Marshfield, Children's Hospital, and Duluth!

The farm-based therapy reduces anxieties and allows my child to achieve success so quickly, we can't re-write his goals fast enough! Self esteem is built through great achievements and shines in his radiant smile while we're at therapy.

The staff thoughtfully researches best practices specific to my child and implements them while teaching me how to support his growth.

When our daughter was 4 she had unintelligible speech. At 3 she had just been diagnosed with PDD-NOS, an Autism spectrum disorder. All we knew was that we wanted to get her as much help as possible. However, living in a rural area, that wasn't easy to do. We were told about Nature's Edge and as soon as we talked to Becky for the first time we knew we had found someone who could help. When we visited Nature's Edge it was beautiful! For our daughter, it was a comfortable in-home setting where she could practice speech and language, paired with the challenge of outdoor activities and experiences with the animals that were truly therapeutic. There were real social experiences that you just can't find in a clinical setting. It was really refreshing! We've been going to Nature's Edge for 3 years and our daughter has made great strides and is going into second grade with her peers! We know it is thanks to the hard work, creativity and expertise of Becky and the staff at Nature's Edge!

Nature's Edge Therapy Center has worked in conjunction with the Cameron Schools. Several students have been served at Nature's Edge and benefited greatly from the care and expertise shown by the professionals and volunteers. A number of our students have served as volunteers and have themselves enjoyed and learned from the experiences. My wife volunteered at the Center and commented to me about how the organization and support contribute to the clients' improvement.

Randal Braun
District Administrator
Cameron School District

I started volunteering at Nature's Edge in the summer of 2009 and it's been an absolutely wonderful experience for me. Recently retired, I was looking for a way to fill some of my free time. Not a problem at Nature's Edge! There's always something to do...helping out with the animals, side walking in a hippotherapy session, lending a hand in the office or with fundraisers, writing grants, etc. Before I knew it, Becky had recruited me to serve on the board!

The therapists at Nature's Edge, Becky and Heidi Jo, are inspired and dedicated. I love watching the patients respond to them and to the animals and to being out in nature. Therapy is still hard work, but it's also fun at Nature's Edge. The entire staff is very supportive of the patients and their families. And of course the animals are the best. It's such a positive environment to help patients progress toward their therapeutic goals.

Nature's Edge is a great alternative to traditional, clinical therapy!