Blog

By:  Dr. John Souza & Janna Pate Linus came to Pacific Quest as a 25-year-old who struggled with four college failures, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. He often referred to himself as “lazy” and believed he could not finish anything. At Pacific Quest, Linus received a 391-page curriculum consisting of 242 assignments in English, environmental …

By: Tom Jameson, Therapist, & Maureen Sullivan, Therapist Last week, Pacific Quest (PQ) presented a breakout session at the National Association for Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) Conference. Tom Jameson and Maureen Sullivan, both PQ therapists, teamed up to showcase the unique ways in which PQ addresses grief and loss in the context of our …

“What I find in horticultural therapy that I couldn’t find when I worked in wilderness therapy, adventure therapy and even ropes courses, was the sense of purpose: A sense of purpose and adventure in creating a more sustainable life.” -Travis Slagle, Horticulture Therapy Director What is Horticulture Therapy Horticulture has been used as a therapeutic …

By: Alumni Parent Where were we prior to PQ? Our daughter has always been a bright, and charming person who excelled at school and sports, not to mention having a lot of friends. But underneath all of her success was a dark area in her life that reared its ugly head when she was in …

By: Mike Sullivan, Alumni and Family Services Director Happy new year!  We are diving into another great year of collaboration with Sky’s the Limit Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of at-risk youth by providing grants, support and hope through outdoor therapy programs and beyond. Sky’s the Limit Fund has provided financial …

By: Darcy Ottey Meaningful, intentional rites of passage have been a critical part of raising healthy adults for tens of thousands of years, and are no less relevant today. At Pacific Quest, rites of passage have been part of our program since our very first client. The speaker in this TEDx Talk, Darcy Ottey, helped …

By:  Clementine Wilson, Adolescent Field Manager Pacific Quest hosted our annual Winter Solstice celebration for our students and employees last month! We were able to hold it on the actual date of the Solstice – marking the shortest day of the year. ““Solstice” comes from two Latin words: sol meaning “sun” and sistere meaning “to …

Check out the previous blog post on the history and benefits of turmeric, something we grow plenty of at PQ! Below is the recipe mentioned in that post. Perfect for a warm and healthy alternative this time of year! Golden Milk Recipe Yield: 2 cups Active Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Ingredients 1 cup …

Turmeric – a distinctly earthy, orange-golden spice is often overlooked in many kitchens, but proves to be a great culinary addition with a fantastic and bright presentation. For over 5,000 years, this plant has been cultivated and harvested in tropical Asian countries as well as its homeland, India, where it is considered auspicious and holy. …

By: Alumni Parent As a little girl, our daughter was always the life of the party. She was a bright and sunny kid who loved to have fun. She loved to sing and would often belt out the words to Nat King Cole’s “Love” while dancing around the room. She had a whacky sense of …