Blog

By Travis Slagle, Horticulture Therapy Director We are proud to announce Pacific Quest wilderness therapy program is now a member of the American Horticultural Therapy Association! AHTA began in 1973 and currently has over 800 members worldwide.  If you are not familiar with Horticultural Therapy, it’s becoming a more recognized field with evidence-based practices that …

By Travis Slagle, PQ Land Supervisor Last week, parents came to the island for a two-day workshop where they worked side by side with their sons and daughters, rotating between discussion groups and land projects, experiencing first-hand what it’s like to be at Pacific Quest wilderness therapy program. The question I asked the families was …

Recently the Ohana has been hard at work harvesting Taro in the garden and creating new ways to spice up an ancient plant.  Taro, also known as “kalo,” is one of the original “canoe plants” that the Polynesians brought to Hawaii to propagate and sustain a new civilization.  An interesting fact that students at Pacific …

The Hawaiian term “kuleana” is quite difficult to define.  The literal translation, as I have heard, is “responsibility.” Kuleana means much more than that, as it seems to include a broader sense of responsibility –  a person’s responsibility to themselves and his/her community.  At PQ, we have named the second stage of growth Kuleana.  We …

Dr. Alexander Bingham joins the Pacific Quest clinical team! Dr. Bingham graduated from Skidmore College and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from The California Institute of Integral Studies. He continued at CIIS and received a PhD in Psychology. Dr. Bingham is a Rosen Method practitioner and Biodynamic cranio-sacral therapist. He …

In her presentation (see video link), Dr. Brene Brown shares about her process of coming to understand the role of vulnerability and feeling worthy.  Her phenomenological research suggests that shame stems from a place of feeling unworthy, a place of always asking “Am I good enough?”  Dr. Brown asserts that feeling worthy grows from courage, …

In case you missed Toby’s appearance on LA talk radio, you can download it here.  Toby shared about the PQ therapeutic model coined “sustainable growth.” It was also the final LA talk radio show hosted by Dore Frances. Toby emphasizes the importance in nurturing the whole self.  He offers a lens of viewing the self …

Ohana members expressed enthusiasm when we talked about the possibility of them contributing to the PQ blog.  They wanted to share “notes from the field” to be able to educate others more about their experience on the farm.  Below are aspects that the students wish to share from this past week. “A metaphor that I …

PQ’s Naturopathic Doctor Britta Zimmer is presenting at IECA in Philadelphia!  This is exciting news for the PQ team as we value the integral role of health and nutrition in the therapeutic process.  For those of you attending the conference please make sure to check out Dr. Zimmer’s presentation on May 5 at 2:45 pm. …

“We are excited about the garden developments in our newest camps,” said PQ organic garden specialist Patrick Leatherman.  Patrick completed a large scale order from a local big island nursery last week.  He seems very enthusiastic about the tropical fruits that the plants will provide.  Patrick ordered 5 Tahitan Lime trees, 5 Pink Eureka Lemon …