Youth

Pacific Quest Receives AHTA Therapeutic Garden Design Award

| October 23, 2016

By: Yvette Slagle, Communications Manager Pacific Quest’s Horticultural Therapy Director Travis Slagle M.A. recently accepted the national award in Therapeutic Garden Design from the  American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA). The nomination process included an outpouring of inspiring testimonials from families, alumni, educational consultants, and mental health professionals from across the country. Travis comments, “The greatest …

Moving Forward: The story of a PQ alumna

| November 16, 2016

By: PQ Alumni Student I didn’t realize how much of my life I was hiding from, and how much I didn’t know about myself, until the three months I spent at Pacific Quest.  Prior to going to PQ in February, I was in a severe depression. I hated every minute and everything about myself.  It …

Makahiki Celebrations at Pacific Quest

| December 14, 2016

By:  Janna Pate, Academic Coordinator Makahiki is a holiday season that marks the end and new beginning of the yearly farming cycle in Hawaii. It is similar in timing and purpose to Thanksgiving, Oktoberfest, and other harvest celebrations. At Pacific Quest, we celebrate Makahiki throughout the month of November. Our celebrations culminate in a day …

Winter Solstice Celebration at PQ!

| January 7, 2017

By:  Clementine Wilson, Adolescent Field Manager Pacific Quest hosted our annual Winter Solstice celebration for our students and employees last month! We were able to hold it on the actual date of the Solstice – marking the shortest day of the year. ““Solstice” comes from two Latin words: sol meaning “sun” and sistere meaning “to …

Successful Collaboration with Sky’s the Limit Fund!

| January 19, 2017

By: Mike Sullivan, Alumni and Family Services Director Happy new year!  We are diving into another great year of collaboration with Sky’s the Limit Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of at-risk youth by providing grants, support and hope through outdoor therapy programs and beyond. Sky’s the Limit Fund has provided financial …

Pacific Quest Video Series :: Student Testimonial

| February 8, 2017

“Pacific quest changed my life; I realize now that nothing is impossible. With just some water and a seed I can create a whole ecosystem of life. Life at Pacific Quest helped me express my emotions in a positive way. Pacific Quest will change your life, too, if you just let it.” – Pacific Quest …

Oh Coconuts!

| February 13, 2017

By Kate Goodwin, Young Adult Wellness Medical Supervisor The tropical coconut is an incredible superfood with endless uses, especially in Polynesian cultures.  The Hawaiians used “Niu” or coconut for drink, food, thatching, hats, baskets, furniture, mats, cordage, clothing, charcoal, brooms, fans, ornaments, musical instruments, shampoo, containers, oil for fuel, light, ointments, soap and more. Traditionally, …

PQ Offers First Annual Free CE Workshop for Hilo Community

| February 22, 2017

By: Kristen Sutton, Therapist, & Lauren Meyer, Field Coordinator Over 80 people attended a recent continuing education (CE) event offered by Pacific Quest (PQ). Community service and the ability to “give back” are essential cornerstones of the program, therefore, PQ offered this CE event free of charge to Big Island mental health professionals.  Attendees included …

Pacific Quest Video Series :: Dr. Robert Voloshin, Integrative Psychiatrist

| March 7, 2017

“Happiness, fulfillment, and joy in everyday life should be the bar we set… instead of taking an extreme view, I strive to take a wise, balanced, and integrative approach.” -Dr. Voloshin Pacific Quest has an incredible new member of our Clinical and Wellness teams, Dr. Robert Voloshin, Integrative Psychiatrist. Dr. Robert Voloshin is leading the Integrative …

Community Service at Punalu’u Pond

| April 8, 2017

By: Nikki Robinson, Adolescent Program Master Guide A group of Pacific Quest adolescent students recently joined the community at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach to participate in removing invasive plant species.  The pond at Punalu’u is a unique and rare ecosystem – an anchialine pool, it is connected to the ocean by an underground fissure, consists of …