Blog

Getting a student into wilderness therapy requires the effort of many dedicated and committed people. By the time students reach Pacific Quest, they’re in deep, open to at least giving it a try…until they don’t. Uncertainty and fear arise, and then questions emerge like, “Where will this journey lead me,” and the externalization we so often witness in the form of “Why are my parents …

Andrea is a licensed clinical social worker with a wealth of experience; she has been a therapist at Pacific Quest since 2015.  Andrea received her BS in Health and Physical Education from the Pennsylvania State University and her Masters of Social Services from Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She …

Mental health disorders are on the rise, and consequently, so are medication prescriptions.  Polypharm, the prescription of multiple medications, is rampant, as doctors and parents scramble to mitigate the distressing symptoms they witness in their patients and children.  This is especially problematic in the United States, where the rates are nearly double that of other …

Pacific Quest is proud to announce that Michael McGee, Family Program Manager and Clinical Support Specialist, has received the Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) accreditation from the state of Hawaii.  This is an internationally recognized credential and will allow Mike to further support Pacific Quest clients. In addition to his work leading our adolescent Family Program workshops, Mike …

Camille is a licensed social worker, psychotherapist and behavioral specialist who received her Master’s Degree in Social Work with an emphasis in Mental and Behavioral Health from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. With over ten years experience working with adolescents, young adults, and families in outdoor, educational and therapeutic settings she brings a dynamic …

Aloha Friends! We are humbled and grateful to be celebrating Pacific Quest’s 15th year with you.  To honor our roots, we wanted to reflect on our story through the lens of our Stages of Growth – Nalu, Kuleana, and Ohana, and to speak to our own rite of passage.  We are proud to share where we …

Teresa Bertoncin was recently awarded EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association) consultant status.  An EMDR consultant is recognized as an expert in the field.  It is no small feat to gain consultant status in EMDR.  In addition to being a Certified EMDR Therapist with six years of experience, Teresa conducted several hundred clinical …

Trauma can result in brokenness and lost innocence. Dr. Donald Kalsched, Jungian Analyst and author of Trauma and the Soul notes that innocence lies at the core of our sense of aliveness and spirituality. The recovery of innocence is an important and complex process that leads to renewed vitality and embodied living. Dr. Lorraine Freedle, …

With a passion for finding a student’s authentic self, Mark Storey brings dynamic long-term wilderness therapy experience to Pacific Quest. Since 2005 Mark has worked in outdoor behavioral health. Mark worked as lead field staff and as family program guide at a wilderness therapy program in the Blue Ridge Mountains . After completing his Master’s …

Written by Mark Storey, MA, Primary Therapist Central to working as a wilderness therapist is how to help to increase a student’s self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is an individual’s belief in their own ability to achieve a goal. Based on their personal belief system, students will perform in certain ways. Increased self-efficacy can influence the level of …