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Deborah Givens, BA YA Program Supervisor Deborah is a Program Supervisor at our Young Adult program.  Her primary responsibilities are risk management for the program and providing field support for the students and guides during daily field operations.  Program Supervisors are the first line of support for the Program Guides. The position is a residential …

Mike Sullivan, M.A., LMHC Family & Alumni Services Director The air in Kona is electrified!  It is World Championship Ironman race week and the world’s most elite athletes are pouring into town. The streets are packed with sinewy triathletes clad in neon triathlon suits acclimating to Kona humidity and sweltering temperatures.  They pedal machines that …

Hundreds of different synthetic designer drugs have poured into the United States in the past four years, with teens becoming one of the largest user groups. Oftentimes teens turn to synthetic designer drugs because they feel it is less scary or dangerous than interacting with drug dealers. “These drugs are being marketed and sold as …

On Saturday, September 19th, approximately 18 Pacific Quest employees participated in the 2nd Annual Ka’u Coffee Trail Run–The Southernmost Coffee Trail Run in the USA!  The goal of this event was to help raise money for the economically depressed community, via the non-profit organization O Ka’u Kakou.  All funds raised went to O Ka’u Kakou …

Working with some of the nation’s brightest young adults at Stanford University, and being a parent of two teenagers herself, Julie Lythcott-Haims has the unique experience of being able to see parenting from a variety of angles and give parents of teens helpful advice. During her 10 years as Stanford’s Dean of Freshmen and Undergraduate …

By Genell Howell, MA, CSAC Primary Therapist When we hear the word trauma we often associate it with endangering events. According to the American Psychological Association, trauma is an emotional response to a detrimental event such as an accident, rape or natural disaster. While trauma is commonly associated with major life events, it may also include …

By Tom Jameson, MS, NCC Primary Therapist The Father of Attachment Theory, John Bowlby, described attachment as the “lasting psychological connections between human beings.” The way in which humans attach to others has been proven influential in terms of how individuals relate to others, themselves, and the world. Research has found that a person’s attachment …

Adolescent and teen years are crucial for developing the skills we need to cope with difficult times in our adult lives. Studies have shown 75 percent of lifetime mental disorders first show signs before the typical college age range of 18-24. Being watchful of the early signs before your child or teen reaches this age …

Janna earned her Master of Science in Special Education through the New York City Teaching Fellows Program at Pace University, as well as her MA in English from Texas Christian University. Before coming to Pacific Quest, Janna taught English at a high school for students with severe emotional issues in the Bronx. She also taught …

There is no easy way to know if your teen is using drugs, or if they are simply displaying typical age-related behavior. However, if you are a parent who simply suspects your teen may be abusing either prescription or recreational drugs, than you probably know more than you think. Never underestimate the innate feeling something …