About Us
What we do and why we do it.
RecThera exists to educate, inspire, and empower individuals to cultivate health and wellbeing through meaningful engagement in play, leisure, and recreation. Through innovative learning resources, we help people rediscover the essential human need for connection, creativity, and joyful living as pathways to healing and flourishing.
Our Mission
The future we hope to help create.
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We envision a world where individuals and communities recognize engagement in meaningful play, leisure, and recreation as essential pathways to healing, connection, and flourishing.
Our Vision
The foundational belief that guides our work.
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We believe wellness is more than simply functioning – it is living with meaning, purpose, connection, and joy.
Our Philosophy
Our Guiding Values
The principles that shape how we approach our work and relationships.​
Meaningful Engagement
Purposeful participation in play, leisure, and recreation enriches health, wellbeing, and everyday life.
Connection
Shared experiences, relationships, and belonging are essential to healing, wellbeing, and human flourishing.
Creativity
Imagination, curiosity, and self-expression are important pathways to growth, learning, and joyful living.
Flourishing
Wellness extends beyond simply functioning and includes opportunities to live with meaning, purpose, vitality, and joy.
Joyful Living
Play, leisure, and recreation are essential contributors to happiness, fulfillment, and quality of life.
Accessibility & Inclusion
Meaningful opportunities for engagement, recreation, and wellbeing should be accessible, welcoming, and inclusive for all individuals and communities.
Our History
RecThera was created from a deep belief that play, leisure, recreation, and meaningful engagement are essential to human health and wellbeing.
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Through years of professional experience in recreational therapy, it became increasingly clear that many individuals, families, and even healthcare systems often overlook the profound role meaningful engagement plays in healing, connection, resilience, and quality of life. While people may recognize the importance of physical health, far fewer understand the value of recreation, creativity, leisure, rest, play, and joyful living as essential components of overall wellbeing.
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RecThera was founded to help bridge that gap through education, reflection, and evidence-informed learning resources that encourage a broader and more human-centered understanding of wellness.
Our Team
Dr. Heather R. Porter
PhD, CTRS, FDRT
Founder & Owner
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Heather is the founder and owner of RecThera and a widely recognized recreational therapy educator, practitioner, author, and presenter. Passionate about advancing recreational therapy research and education, Heather is committed to making evidence-informed knowledge more accessible to practitioners, consumers, payers, legislators, and the broader community. She believes meaningful engagement, play, leisure, and recreation are essential pathways to healing, connection, and human flourishing.
Cary Porter
Art Director
Cary Porter is the Art Director of RecThera’s publications and the owner of Cary Elizabeth Designs, a graphic and web design studio specializing in creative work for education and small businesses. Her expertise includes graphic and web design, photography, and illustration. With a thoughtful and imaginative approach to design, Cary enjoys transforming ideas into meaningful and visually engaging experiences. Like a seed, Cary believes ideas flourish when nurtured with creativity, intention, and care.
