Blog

By Mike Sullivan, MA, LMHC I dawned my running shoes and am back running the single lane jungle roads of Hilo, Hawaii. Having just spent the last week in La Jolla, California at a professional conference, I have a lot to reflect on. I do some of my best thinking while running. I traveled to …

As many of you know, I don’t post much on FB and when I do, it’s rarely personal.  This is a long one and many will not finish.  I’m not posting it for sympathy or kudos.  I’m posting it for a few reasons – to let others know they are not alone, to thank a …

By Mike Sullivan, Alumni & Family Services Director Pacific Quest alumni gathered at Torrey Pines State Beach this past Saturday to reconnect and contribute to a larger effort at protecting our ocean ecosystem.  Together with volunteers from the Surfrider Foundation, we combed the beach in hunt of marine debris littering the shores and posing environmental threats. …

At Pacific Quest, students learn that what you put in your body directly affects how you feel. The Pacific Quest diet has been developed to provide balanced and vital nutrition. We take advantage of locally grown foods in Hawaii so that food is always fresh and healthy. We are fortunate to have an incredible local …

Pacific Quest’s Clinical Director, Lorraine Freedle, Ph.D., ABPdN will be co-presenting at the 2016 NATSAP Conference.  The back-to-back presentation entitled, “From Super Power to Darkest Hour: Giftedness… Why Does it Matter?” will take place on Thursday, February 11th from 1:45- 3:15 pm (Part I) and 3:30- 5:00 pm (Part II). Dr. Freedle and Daniel Peters, …

    ALUMNI BEACH CLEAN UP Date: Saturday, February 13th Time: 9:00 am- 12:00 pm Location: Torrey Pines State Beach Activity: Beach cleanup hosted by Surfrider Foundation What to bring: Clothes suitable for weather This is a great opportunity to join forces in promoting healthy oceans and giving back to the community.  After all, we …

By Theresa Hasting, LMHC You’ve given everything you had; sleepless nights making sure your son stayed in his room, missing work to ensure he went to school, constant vigilance to ensure his safety.  You’ve got him in a safe place where he is able to work on these issues.  Now what?  As we work with …

By Maureen Riley, MPH, MA Thanksgiving has passed and the holiday season is upon us. However, for students in a therapeutic wilderness program like Pacific Quest, gratitude is always in season. Feelings of gratitude for one’s family members, life opportunities and material possessions, emerge quickly for students who are away from home for an extended …

Eight Pacific Quest therapists are currently immersed in the Empowerment and Transformation experiential art and sandplay therapy training program based on the principles of Jungian psychology and the neuropsychology of expressive therapy.  Training began in September and will continue until May, 2016. Therapists meet monthly to practice art therapy techniques using mediums such as paint, …

By Erin Gustin, PsyD Students come to Pacific Quest from various parts of the country. Some have never traveled to the warmer, more tropical parts of the world. The plants, weather, and culture of Hawaii are unfamiliar and sometimes shocking to them. Working in a garden is likely something they have not felt like doing …