Tara Wisilosky

On January 7, 2021, our lives changed forever. Anthony came into this world, and everything just fell into place for our little family; however, when our son was not talking at the age most children began to talk, we were very worried and concerned. He had been advancing and meeting age-appropriate milestones in most areas but struggled in speaking. I contacted the pediatrician and several agencies to ask for help. He started speech therapy and started signing to communicate. His progress was extremely slow. I was at a loss and was desperate to find him help as he was becoming frustrated from not being able to communicate easily. It is the worst feeling for parents when you know that your child needs or wants something but cannot find a way to tell you. Finally, after researching and additional investigation, I discovered equine therapy. We arranged for the therapy through STAT Therapeutic Center and Achieva supplied the grant to help pay for the therapy. I am eternally grateful to Achieva and STAT for promoting and enhancing my son’s quest for speech. He started STAT non-verbal, but now, through their constant and compassionate therapy and routine, they transformed his attitude toward speech. They are kind, caring and so attentive to his specific needs. They readily recognized his special interests and incorporated them into the therapy. Through this very personalized treatment, they instilled confidence in him and his ability to speak.  He has more work to do but is progressing fantastically. He is now speaking in complete sentences and cannot wait to get to the horses and staff at STAT. We are so grateful for those wonderful people who have transformed our son into a confident speaker. Being able to finally hear him say “I love you” is the greatest gift a parent can experience. We cherish every word he says and are so thankful for STAT and Achieva for making this transformation possible.