As a 16-year-old Steven was placed at Shiloh House after physically assaulting one of his family members. Steven was raised in a very rigid home environment consisting of both verbal and physical abuse. He also had a history of being bullied throughout his life, struggled to make friends, and understandably distracted from being able to succeed in school.
It’s not surprising then that Steven had a poor self-image and was weighed down by anger. Since being placed at Shiloh House, he has resolved much of the anger he carries and has developed new ways to express it appropriately. For the first time in his life, Steven has had a safe, structured, and supportive environment in which to find himself and develop a more positive self-esteem. He has excelled in therapeutic recreation and shows a new active healthy positive approach to life.
Perhaps most importantly, Steven began to repair relationships with his family members so that he could return home.
As with so many of the youth in our care, Steven thrived in an environment of support, safety, and structure. He participated actively in Shiloh incentives program by showing positive behavior and consistently improving his grades at school. Through several modalities of therapy, he has been developing his own skills and identity as a young man.
At the Shiloh House annual picnic, Steven’s athletic skills shined and he beamed as he received positive reinforcement from staff and peers. In his own words: “Being at Shiloh helped me to see I am actually good at sports and I feel more confident about myself and happier about my life.”