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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Dr. Bill Miller, expert in empathy, listening, and motivational interviewing, hosted a full-day workshop in Oahu this winter. Six members of the Pacific Quest clinical team were able to attend. His presentation, titled “Listening Well: The Art of Empathic Listening,” focused on the interpersonal skill of accurate empathy, and captivated a sold-out audience at the …
Kristen has served youth who have experienced concerns related to anxiety, depression, trauma/abuse, eating disorders, substance abuse/dependence, grief and loss and parent/child relationship difficulty. She considers vulnerability as a foundation for trust and teaching healthy communication patterns essential for working with families. Kristen implements an insight-oriented and strengths-based approach. Kristen encourages meaningful change and healing …
Prior to joining the clinical team at Pacific Quest, Dr. Konik worked as a Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Annapolis, Maryland. For 10 years at Spectrum Behavioral Health, he treated adolescents and young adults with issues ranging from anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance use/abuse, to learning differences, significant behavioral problems, and developmental disabilities. Dr. …
Researchers have been focusing on the tragedy of teenage suicide clusters specifically in Northern California. One of the confusing variables in these clusters is that the students are originating from families of affluence and high academic backgrounds. Many kids in these communities comment on the pressure they feel to be “successful”. Not long ago affluent …