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Did you know that Pacific Quest has a fully-accredited Academic curriculum? During a typical eight-week stay, Pacific Quest students have the opportunity to take six academic courses for a total of 3.5 academic credits in the following subject areas: Career and Technical Education – Horticulture Pathway (0.5 credits) Health Education – Health Education (0.5 credits) …

Wilderness therapy programs are effective in treating many issues, including, but not limited to: ADD/ADHD, mood regulation issues, substance abuse, trauma, Internet addiction, poor self-image and family conflict. But did you know they are also a sought-after alternative to traditional depression and anxiety treatment options? While depression and anxiety vary in severity, nearly all teens …

I never imagined that I would find myself on the precipice of such an athletic feat. A typical Ironman triathlon is a grueling 140.6 miles of swimming, cycling and running. The Kona Ironman World Championships is the granddaddy of all Ironman triathlon – an international competition amongst the world’s most elite triathletes competing in the …

With the start of a new school year, talk of cyberbullying is sure to skyrocket. And it’s for good reason—70 percent of students report seeing frequent bullying online, according to DoSomething.org. Teens no longer butt heads passing in the hallways. Instead they take their drama digital, and often attack through text messages, malicious websites, emails, …

Death is a fundamental part of our lifecycle. What is more, the death of a loved one is an event each one of us will experience, likely multiple times throughout our lifetimes. Confronting death and accepting loss is a personal experience you cannot compare with someone else’s. You’ll grieve in your unique way, and healing …

Part of being a good parent is communicating the dangers adolescents may be exposed to as they get older. Sex, drugs and alcohol are all talking points that are commonly addressed. But, does that truly cover it all? According to this study published in the journal of Public Policy & Marketing, many teens simply don’t …

If your teen enjoys passing the time gaming, you likely already know that video games are rated by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) for age appropriateness—sports games like “Madden NFL” are often rated ‘E’ for Everyone, musical participation games like “Rock Band” are usually rated ‘T’ for Teen, while first-person shooter games like “Call …

Body image issues do not discriminate by gender. Teen girls are not the only ones struggling with body image; Researchers say teen boys are also highly concerned about their weight and physique to the point of developing eating disorders, binge drinking habits and even drug dependencies. Adolescent boys are holding themselves to specific—maybe even impossible—body …

There is so much that is positive about our family program visit to PQ that it could require a really long writeup to capture it all. Rather than tell you what is likely already known (great staff, wonderful caring parents, fascinating approach to deal with adolescent problems), I’ll limit my general comments to just a …

Depression can plague people of all ages, and adolescents are no exception. By the end of their teen years, 20 percent of young people will have had depression, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. When they receive help, more than 70 percent will respond positively to treatment and improve with therapy …