Our Team

Doctor

Dr. Danise J. Miller

Optometrist
Clinical Director-Thrive With Vision and Thrive Vision Therapy
Hello!
I’d like to introduce myself! I’m Dr. Danise Miller, Doctor of Optometry. I’ve been an optometrist since 2002, although I’ve been in the biz’ since I was in college, when I worked as an optician. I graduated, with honors, from St. Cloud State University, with a BA degree in Biomedical Science in 1998, and from the Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University, with a doctorate in 2002. I was initially very anxious about having to move away to attend graduate school. However, moving away made me realize that I truly love where I grew up, and that I wanted to return to Central MN to practice optometry.

I pride myself in my approach to vision and how vision affects the entire person. Whether I am working with a child with difficulties in school, with an athlete who has suffered a concussion or with an adult who has suffered a stroke, I am thinking about my role to provide for the whole person and his/her family. I listen to my patients and I strive to provide the best recommendations for clear, comfortable, effortless vision. This describes my emphasis as a Behavioral Optometrist.

Behavioral optometry addresses vision and visual skills beyond seeing 20/20 detail. If visual skills have developed to be inefficient, or if they have been altered with acquired brain injury, visual skills can be trained to be more efficient through optometric vision therapy and rehabilitation. I have taken extensive post-doctorate training from internationally-known experts in the area of vision therapy and neuro-optometric rehabilitation. I opened Thrive Vision Therapy in June of 2015. There, I am able to fulfill my dream of providing vision therapy.

I am a proud member of the Minnesota affiliate of the American Optometric Association, the College of Optometry in Vision Development, the Optometric Extension Program, and the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association.

Because I am a ‘country kid’, I love almost any outdoor activity. I especially enjoy playing volleyball, bicycling, boating, golfing, snow shoeing and cross-country skiing.

Traci L.

Vision Therapist

I have been a vision therapist with Thrive Vision Therapy since its inception in June 2015. I was introduced to vision therapy when my youngest child was diagnosed with convergence insufficiency, an eye-coordination problem. Becoming my son’s home therapy partner gave me the insight and hands-on experience that confirmed my desire to help others with visual inefficiencies.

As a vision therapist, I am proud to be a part of a team that offers a compassionate, holistic, custom-designed treatment program, for our patients. I am passionate about teaching and helping people understand the impact vision can have on learning, as well as their daily life. However, the best part of my job is seeing a patient reach their highest visual potential and graduate from our vision therapy program.

When I am not at Thrive Vision Therapy I am spending time with my family. We love Minnesota and all the outdoor experiences each season has to offer.

Deborah M.

Billing Specialist

Hi, I’m Deborah. I grew up in St. Paul, MN, married that country boy, and moved up North. My husband and I have two boys and a recent addition, a wonderful daughter-in- law. We have made Pierz, MN our home.

I worked for 3M, a St. Paul based company, for many years. Recently, I joined this amazing team at Thrive with Vision as a billing specialist. I’m so proud to be a part of it!
My Interests include gardening, outdoor activities, and spending time with my family & friends.

I can contribute to the testimonial of pure excellence. In 1996, Dr. Miller diagnosed my son with amblyopia and esotropia. She encouraged a visit to MN Vision Therapy Center in Minneapolis (one of two clinics in the state of MN that handled Vision Therapy at that time). With weekly visits and much effort, we were able to make a life change with his vision.

We are fortunate to have Dr. Miller bring Vision Therapy and Optometry services to Little Falls, MN. Her extensive knowledge, brain injury specialty, and compassion/care to each individual patient makes Thrive with Vision a wonderful choice for vision care.

Stephanie S.

Optician/Patient Care Representative

Hi, I’m Stephanie. I joined Dr. Miller and her amazing team back in May of 2021. Every day has been such a great learning experience. Being able to see so many new faces and meet so many new people has been such a fun perk to my job. I’m lucky to be a part of such a compassionate, caring team as Dr. Miller and her staff.

I have spent most of my years leading up to this point being a caregiver. I have been doing in-home care and working at an assisted living facility for many years. Taking care of people has always been such a big passion of mine.

Aside from being a mom of boys, which keeps me pretty busy, I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I love being outdoors and my favorite thing to do is laugh! I look forward to my future at Thrive With Vision and look forward to meeting and helping many new people.