Porter’s House Inc. is a nonprofit community behavioral health organization working with youth ages 5-18. At Porter’s House, we strive to help children overcome obstacles in order to grow and thrive across various settings. We firmly believe that in order for this to happen, we must first NURTURE children by providing them with a safe and encouraging environment, one that enables them to build healthy relationships. It is only when children feel a consistent sense of safety and security that we can then begin to TEACH them social, emotional, and life skills to promote continued growth. If children’s basic needs of safety are not being met, we cannot expect them to be in a place to take in new information. When children feel safe and respected, not only can they take in new information and form healthy relationships, but they will also feel empowered to IMPLEMENT learned skills across various settings when provided with ongoing support and encouragement.
It has been found that children learn naturally and effectively through play. Throughout our community based programs at Porter’s House, we often incorporate play-based activities in an effort to increase active engagement, foster a strong sense of community, and support children in practicing different skills in an inviting, joyful, and hands-on environment. We often utilize humor, maintain a strong focus on relationship building, and role model taught skills.