By Yvette Slagle, Outreach Assistant I stand quietly and look at the garden…the jalapenos and basil, cilantro and parsley, a gourmet salad mix that boasts an array of greens, purples and reds. There are marigolds, sunflowers, calendula– and of course, nasturtiums. We decided this time around we should do a succession of Provider Beans, a …
Blog
Tree Growth: A Metaphor For Our Lives
By Bridger Jensen, Therapist Each morning, our newly-arrived Nalu and Kuleana adolescent students and staff travel from our sleeping quarters up the mountainside of the great volcano Mauna Kea. The short trip to our day camp is performed in silence to aid in self-reflection. From these historic, rolling hills through which we travel, sugar cane …
Students Explore Green Sand Beach
A group of students recently had the opportunity to visit Papakolea Beach, also known as Mahana Beach or Green Sand Beach. This infamous beach is located in the district of Ka’u on the Big Island, not too far from Pacific Quest. Papakolea is one of only four green sand beaches in the world–the others being …
Pacific Quest Welcomes Christine Riley
Pacific Quest wilderness therapy program is pleased to welcome Christine Riley, LMFT as a Primary Clinician. Christine received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from State University of New York in Plattsburgh and her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2003. Prior to joining the Pacific Quest clinical team, Christine served as …
Los Angeles Alumni Event
By Mike Sullivan, Therapist “Belay on!” shouts Johnny, whose legs are shaking and hands trembling as he prepares to climb his first route of the day at the Hangar 18 rock climbing gym in Los Angeles. Moments before this, Johnny had pulled me aside and said, “Mike, I wasn’t kidding when I told you and …
The Importance of Nutrition in Mental Health
By Dr. Britta Zimmer, Medical Director It is time to face a simple fact and reclaim health: Nutritious Food is Medicine It’s easy to get caught up in the complexity of science, research, and the physiology of the human body, therefore I am constantly reminding myself, my patients, and my patients’ parents to get back …
Letter of Gratitude
We received this letter from an airline passenger who was seated by a Pacific Quest student who recently completed the program. It’s a good reminder of how even brief encounters can leave lasting impressions. I was in Hawaii until yesterday and had the profound pleasure of sitting next to one of your recent graduates. Please …
Growing Food In Ka’u
By Yvette Slagle, Outreach Assistant I stand quietly and look at the garden…the jalapenos and basil, cilantro and parsley, a gourmet salad mix that boasts an array of greens, purples and reds. There are marigolds, sunflowers, calendula– and of course, nasturtiums. We decided this time around we should do a succession of Provider Beans, a …
Behind the Mind of the Bullied and Bully
Has your child, someone you know or yourself ever been bullied? Do you ever wonder why bullies do what they do? Do you see a pattern of perpetual bullying in our society or in your own personal life? These are questions many children, adolescents, young adults, parents and professionals are faced with everyday. Bullying has …
Pacific Quest Welcomes Jody St. Joseph
Pacific Quest is pleased to welcome Jody St. Joseph as the new Adolescent Program Director. In her new role, Jody is responsible for supervision of the adolescent program, personnel management, and assistance with outreach coordination. Other responsibilities will include co-development and quality assurance of supervisory roles, ensuring follow-through of behavioral treatment plans as well as …
Huaka’i Ola at Reeds Bay
By Todd Ransdell, Young Adult Program Director Polynesian people throughout the Pacific Ocean have long used the many types of Wa’a (pronounced vah-ah) to travel, explore, and fish. It is an integral part of Hawaiian history – Polynesian sailors and navigators crossed immense distances to find and colonize the islands of Hawaii without the use of …