Blog

By Denise Westman, Outreach Director After spending many years working in this industry in a variety of treatment settings, meeting and working with some incredibly talented and gifted people, I am filled with gratitude to be at Pacific Quest.  PQ’s approach to embracing change and sustainable growth not only applies to our students and families, …

If you are like many parents you were warned when your darling toddler was starting into some adorable defiance: “Just wait ‘til they’re teenagers!” You may have thought a problem teenager would never happen to you because you’re such an attentive, caring, thoughtful, amazing parent. You made your child good food, drove them to all …

By Raylene Moses, HR Manager When you enter the HR office, music is probably the first thing you will hear. I love listening to music.  For me, music is a great stress reliever.  It really doesn’t take time away from my busy schedule.  Rather, it provides a backdrop to my own rich and fulfilling life. …

If you have struggled with how to manage and raise your troubled teenager, you may have had the discussion about where to get help outside your family circle and the community around you. Fortunately, there are specialized programs targeted at varying degrees of outcomes depending on the ultimate needs of your particular child. Whether you …

By Mike Sullivan, Therapist This is fascinating – and you will likely be able to relate to this.  Mihály Csíkszentmihályi and colleagues in Italy pondered the mental state of artists while in the act of creating art.  Through phenomenological studies, Csíkszentmihályi, maintains that people can basically become absorbed into an activity and reach a particular …

Do you have a teen that has bouts of irritability, angry outbursts or occasional mood swings? If yes, then you have a very typical teen moving through the transition from childhood to adulthood with a healthy dose of emotional growing pains. These types of benign behaviors are not depression. Depression is a clinical diagnosis that …

Dr. Kimo Alameda, Director of the Hawaii Department of Health interviewed three key professionals from Pacific Quest wilderness therapy program in a weekly wellness talk show on the Big Island of Hawaii.  The television program “Rise Above” invites speakers to share information on issues of importance related to health and wellness.  This week’s show focused …

If you are at your wits end in regards to a troubled teen in your life do not throw up your hands in disgust and relinquish the parenting of your teen to the teen themselves. Some teenagers are experts in manipulation and might attempt to convince you they can handle their life alone. This is …

By Erin Levine, Clinical Admissions Director Every Friday evening when I am winding down my week, I take some time to view the slideshow of pictures that catalogs the activities the students participated in that week. I scroll through hundreds of pictures of busy and smiling faces in the different camps, at different phases of …

Pacific Quest Wilderness Therapy is pleased to announce the addition of two new clinicians to our ohana! Haley Robinson and Bridger Jensen joined Pacific Quest in May as Primary Clinicians. Haley Robinson joins Pacific Quest from Seattle, where she has worked for the past several years providing mental health and substance abuse counseling to young …