Reviews of Pacific Quest (Psychologist)

Emily Merz

Our family had a very positive experience with the PQ program. Our daughter who at the time was 20, a sophomore in New York City. She had a history of anxiety throughout high school but towards the end of her second year of college it was clear that she was getting worse. She slumped into a depression like we had never seen before. We were scared and knew that she couldn't be at school, or in the city and that she needed extensive therapy and lifestyle change. Fortunately she was immediately on board with entering some sort of wilderness program. PQ offered just the perfect amount outdoors/ horticultural therapy for our daughter. That combined with intensive individual and group therapy, she was able to recognize her thought process and behaviors that were contributing to her anxiety. The psych staff helped her to ween herself off of a moderately high dose of benzodiazepines prescribed by her psychiatrist. She was given vitamins and supplements that combined with a whole food diet- allowed her body to detox and reset itself. Then there are the physical aspects of working the gardens and the lush vegetation. Soon she found the inner resources to handle discomfort, whether it was a negative thought process or the heat of the climate. It built up her resiliency in a way that nothing she had done before could. We trusted her decision that PQ would be the right balance of physicality. We soon found that the staff at PQ had created a safe structure "container" it's referred to for each young adult to work through their specific blocks and struggles. As parents we were able to relax more as we grew to trust the wonderful staff who looked after our daughter. I really could go on and on, but you'll not easily find therapists and support staff this attentive and committed to your child's personal growth, mental, emotional and physical well being. Just wish there were more programs which employ rites of passage and guidance for kids before they reach a point of hitting rock bottom. Our family and daughter are very grateful for this program. It has the ability to transform individuals and their families for the better!

Harry Olivar

PQ did a great job with our son: he was struggling to accomplish anything before he attended, could not bring himself to attend classes, do volunteer work, anything - after three months he emerged much healthier and transformed! He now has a job and is planning to finish college next year - thank you, PQ!!

George Shaw

I always refer to PQ as Wilderness Lite™, but in a good way. To my now experienced, but admittedly untrained eye, it seems that some wilderness programs have equated harshness of environment with effectiveness of program. Now, I do not consider PQ to be an easy program; there is a lot of work involved for both the student and the parents. However, that abundant work is balanced with a nurturing environment, where the student is literally surrounded by the tools and people they can rely on to start down the road of dramatic life change. All I can say is, it worked for us.

Ellen Krakow

Sending our 20 year old son to PQ was the best decision we've ever made as parents. Our son was struggling severely before PQ. He had fallen into a sever depression just 3 months into his first semester away at college. He stopped going to class, almost never left his dorm room, and was barely eating or sleeping. We had to bring him home before he had even taken his first college final, and he spent the subsequent year and a half isolating himself at home, away from the world, spending his days playing video games and watching T.V. Therapy and medications, stabilized him, but were doing nothing to help him re-engage with the world. My husband and I were desperately worried and totally out of ideas when we lucked upon someone who knew about PQ. Our son also knowing he needed a dramatic change agreed to go. Over the course of the PQ program, our son was able to understand what was driving his maladaptive and self-defeating behaviors. He began to address his social anxiety which kept him from getting beyond the “first phase’ of establishing relationships with any peers he met. His relationships were all pretty shallow because he never allowed people to really get to know him. The program gave him the ability to be truthful for the very first time, both to himself and others, about these behaviors. He soon began planning how to engage more honestly and constructively with his peers there in the program and also with my husband and me. Before long, we were hearing a calmness and confidence in his voice that had been missing for so long. During our parent visit to the program (which I HIGHLY recommend parents do), the changes in our son were evident, and he was only half-way through the program. He was making real friendships at the program, and not just engaging with the other students in the superficial way he had always done before. He was able to to real with them and allow them to know about his vulnerabilities. He allowed people to really know him. He also learned how to be a supportive friend to others. The curriculum, the incredible garden environment PQ has created, the exceptional staff, and the other students in the program all helped bring about these changes. The program also helped my husband and me be honest with ourselves and with our son about the toll his behaviors had taken on us and the rest of the family. P.Q. gave us a way to discuss this with our son in way that was constructive and therapeutic for him and for us. He is now a month into his adult transition program and continues to build on the things he started at P.Q.. He intentionally selected a transition program that had a farming environment so he could continue some of the P.Q. lifestyle that he had come to love so much. Upon arriving at his Oregon program, he was thrilled to find they were growing pineapples in their green house - something he already knew how to grow thanks to P.Q.! He's feeling confident about his future, and so are we!

Elizabeth Dennison

Pacific Quest is a model of how to do Wilderness Programs (WP) right. I wish that more programs, not just WPs, but Residential Treatment Centers (RTCs) and educational institutions in general, adopted and used the holistic approach to overall health that PQ has mastered. I really appreciated that PQ cultivated an awareness and respect to Hawaiian culture and to the importance of good nutrition. Garden metaphors abound, but PQ truly nurtures the mind, body and spirit and our kid flourished there. Giving up one's kid to a WP or a RTC is one of the most difficult decisions a parent makes, and having trust and confidence in the therapists and support of a program is essential. PQ, from the beginning of our search for a good place to help our kid, was caring, sensitive, and responsive. PQ was a place to begin the healing under the guidance of wonderful therapists. My kid credits PQ for saving their life. That is no small thing. Mahalo, PQ!

Kira Erquiaga

My family and I are so very grateful to the Pacific Quest program and team! They saved our family and definitely saved our son. Thanks to the extremely healthy and nurturing PQ program we have become a healthy and loving family once again. I can't say enough positive things about the program, the staff, the philosophy and the results. I highly recommend PQ to families in crisis. Thank you!!!

steve m

I would recommend PQ without hesitation. At a time when our family was desperate for a solution to our daughters struggles, PQ provided a safe and structured experience that helped stem a downward spiral and reset her path. Their staff were amazing stewards of support and knowledge throughout. Her experience at PQ helped bring awareness and understanding to the chaos of feelings that were suppressing her ability to become the confident young woman she has now discovered herself to be. It was truly and positively life changing for her, and for our family.

Dot Bergen

We placed our child at Pacific Quest upon the recommendation of a team of caregivers. Although we had trepidation in sending our son so far away, in retrospect enrolling him at Pacific Quest was the best decision we ever made. Our child responded to the intense, thoughtful and individualized program in a way that we could have only imagined. By the time he left Pacific Quest he was medication-free, and his anxiety and depression were on the decline. Further, he possessed newly acquired life skills that he still employs today. Pacific Quest gave us our son back. We highly recommend this program.

Ashley Brady

We just returned home from the family program. Our experience was a 10/10. Our son has grown in ways I never thought would happen. He has his sparkle back, he is happy and healthy. 100% Best decision we ever made was to send him to PQ. The staff is just simply amazing. If you are having any doubts let them go because PQ is a wonderful, nurturing place for your child to let go of what ever it is and learn to be present in the moment.

Debra Goldman

Our family had what I would call a "complete" experience at Pacific Quest. Our daughter's whole being was nourished by this beautiful tropical environment filled with the beauty and teachings of the plants and the highly qualified and compassionate staff. The challenging work that both she and her father and I underwent was well worth all the soul searching, the hours of writing and self reflection and the transformed daughter we embraced at the end of her stay at PQ. I cannot recommend this experience enough for a teenager living in these chaotic and trouble times.

Charlie Fay

This is for the young adult program. They say 2 months its on average 3. You think you're done after those 3 months, but they force you to go into transition by not allowing you to leave until accepting a transition program which is normally 6-8 months. They take away almost all of your freedoms and if you choose to sign out, they advise your parents to take your phone, and money away, and not to buy you a plane ticket. So if you choose not to follow their rules they leave you stranded in Hawaii. It is a helpful program and it did help me, but the people in management only care about "making money." They also threw away all my notebooks and my life story, which was sorta my fault, but left me without everything I had created. truth

Leigh Olivar

Our son had a very positive and transformative experience at Pacific Quest last summer. The staff was very skilled and professional and helped him get on his way to a healthy and postitive future!

Eric Schurr

PQ basically saved our daughter's life. She attended PQ in the summer of 2009, and now she frequently thanks us for sending her to there. Before PQ she was failing in school, constantly fought with us, got arrested, and attempted suicide. She is now a well-adjusted very successful professional who works hard, eats healthy, exercises regularly, and has quality friends. We have a very close and wonderful relationship with her. A few years ago she chose to get very discrete tattoo with the date that she went to PQ because she says "That's the date that my life changed." We will forever be grateful to PQ for how it changed -- and saved -- our daughter's life.

Weston Evans

institutionalizationation of paid child abuse, having your child abducted and stranded here? Check out WWASP this is just one of their shell companies. Please do not send your child here

Richard Falzone

As an adolescent addiction psychiatrist I have referred many families to Pacific Quest over the past decade. I keep using them because the process works; when outpatient therapy stagnates or when families are completely stuck there is no substitute for an intensive, therapeutic time out to separate from unhealthy home dynamics and the distractions of peers, substances and the internet. My wife and I recently had the opportunity to experience firsthand the transformative power of the immersive wilderness experience with my 17-y/o daughter who has learning issues and had become quite depressed due to continual lack of success in the public school setting. She rediscovered her confident, curious self and returned with a sense of self-respect and self-love that had gotten lost. The weekly telephone therapy appointments and the parent program were powerful and effective as well, with experiential and pragmatic, didactic components. This process has made me a better clinician, and more importantly, a better father.

Greg Azarian

We are so thankful for PQ and the entire staff! Words cannot express our gratitude for the work they ALL do. The young adult program not only rescued our daughter but also our family. This was the hardest decisions our family has ever made but it was ABSOLUTELY the right one. Its easy to see that now but the moment it was hard to see. My advice to anyone considering a wilderness program...PQ is the one and only. I'm happy to discuss this with anyone considering PQ. Our daughter is 2+ years out, in college, living on her own with friends, working and doing GREAT! Happy Thanksgiving PQ Staff!

Ian Goldsmith

Our daughter was in a really bad way a little over a year ago, resulting us making the very hard decision to send her away to a wilderness program. We found a consultant who evaluated her needs and recommended Pacific Quest (PQ) as the ideal balance of therapeutic care and wilderness. She spent 3 months at PQ and returned to us not so much as a different person, but as a distilled, pure version the person we always knew. PQ had managed to peel away the layers of hurt she was using to protect herself and had given her the tools to manage her own life so much better. She returned home, and returned to her old high school, and has been able to do well in school, and lead a remarkably normal life. It's certainly not always easy for her or us, but that's probably a great sign that she's a normal teenager. PQ worked miracles for us and for our daughter, and I would have no hesitation recommending PQ to anyone who was in our position.

Rosalyn Schaefer

We sent my daughter to PQ after a 3 month stay at a program for eating disorders. She was physically healthy again but still unwilling to let go of her eating disorder and had no insight into the origins of her issues. We knew she couldn't come home and that she wasn't yet ready for therapeutic boarding school. I must admit that I had a hard time accepting all the rules at the beginning such as the kids not being able to wear their own clothing, the limited number of showers, the perceived isolation of the early levels of care. Late on I understood the reasoning behind these choices and believe they were beneficial for my daughter. I loved the idea of horticultural therapy, the kids growing their own food and preparing their own food. I feel that my daughter had a great relationship with her therapist (Theresa) and that they were able to figure out the root cause of the eating disorder. It wasn't until my daughter was well into boarding school that she really developed the insight to deal with these issues. I will never forget our visit with her after she had been at PQ for almost 3 months. The smile on her face, her excitement of showing us all the things she was doing on the land, the interesting bugs she discovered.... But mostly I was so grateful because I felt like I was getting my daughter back.

Christophe Cadiou

As parents, we had a very positive experience with PQ. Sending our young adult there was not an easy decision, and we know the experience was not always easy for him, but it was definitely worth it. We are, as a family, in a much better spot than we were a year ago before PQ, and while not all of it is attributable to PQ, the experience we went through there acted as a much needed re-set button that positioned us well for the next phase of our journey as a family.

nikki campbell

First off, Pacific Quest is not any type of mental health facility, or any medical facility at that. Several of the therapists, including the one I had during my stay here, are not licensed to practice in Hawaii. If you’re sending your child here for mental health problems, just remember that this program is not certified or qualified to treat adolescents with these conditions. While PQ’s website will boast of completely fixing your child’s issues— along with a near perfect satisfaction rate (which us students frequently lied about out of fear we’d face repercussions for not “complying”) be wary that to send your child to any type of wilderness therapy is a radical step that should be an absolute last resort. My parents sent me here in early January of 2017. I had been struggling with depression and anxiety that hindered my ability to attend school. Once in Hawaii, I was treated as a delinquent who could not be trusted, despite never having behavioral issues before. There is no transparency between students and therapists. They will tell you that PQ is an “individualized program” and thus the duration of one’s stay will vary from case to case. However this is not true. Virtually everyone left after 70-80 days, and for me this meant 70 days of blame-the-victim therapy and social isolation (students are not allowed to talk to each other, or even be in the same area together without a field guide present). The “element of surprise” was an excuse for not telling students anything, and many students were threatened by the prospect of being sent away to boarding school. Understand that if you send your child here, their therapist will push for you to send them away for further care. Many of the parents my family has kept in touch with from PQ say that they were pressured to send their child to another program, even if they couldn’t afford it or felt a less intensive program would be better. Therapy is twice a week but often short, and the field guides who run the camps are not trained to deal with mental health problems. The therapy consisted of rudimentary CBT and mindfulness exercises, which really didn’t benefit any of us. The worst was how the trauma affected students were treated in therapy. I witnessed one student be told her rapist had good intentions, and another time in group therapy, the field guides accused a student of using her childhood sexual abuse experience as an excuse for her behavior (skipping school and depression). Yes, the field guides and therapists do try to help students, but there’s really not adequate therapy to make lasting change. Many students got sick due to the conditions of the camps, yet despite this modern medicine was never used. Students were offered flax seeds and told to drink water for diarrea and vomiting, and a girl who broke her foot was only given a crutch and four Advil a day for pain. The nurses and doctor all practice “holistic medicine” meaning legitimate medical concerns are not addressed. I initially complained of chronic stomach pain, but it was dismissed as me “not wanting to get better” as I wouldn’t eat all my food. Once back home I discovered I had a soy allergy, which was why I was in such pain; they made me eat soy every day. It’s easy to exacerbate typical teenage behavior like smoking pot, skipping school and depression into something that requires the serious intervention that PQ offers. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen it really help students. However, I’ve also seen it hurt students. The philosophy of PQ is to break a kid down and rebuild them, but this radical approach leaves many kids with severe trust issues and trauma. Me being one of them. Since coming home, I’ve struggled with trust issues, anger, and severe anxiety from my experience. I was diagnosed with PTSD and my parents struggle with severe guilt for sending me there. I see them as victims as much as I was, as our education consultant convinced them this was the only solution for me. There are other alternatives to PQ. Look into those first.

Rodney Alexander

One of our children struggled with self-esteem and anxiety issues for several years. The self-esteem issues got so bad that our child felt there was no place in this world for him/her and had essentially lost the will to live. My wife and I considered many options and resisted placement in a wilderness program or a therapeutic boarding school. Part of my resistance was because of my belief that many of these programs' goal is to take as much money as possible from desperate parents. I still believe that is the goal of some disreputable wilderness programs and therapeutic boarding schools. However, that is definitely not the PQ goal. Our child entered late in 2017 and left in early January 2018. Of course, our child resisted entering. However, within a few weeks, we saw a near miraculous turnaround in our adolescent. By the time our adolescent left PQ, he/she had a sense of belonging, purpose and poise absent for many years. Indeed, by the time our adolescent left, he/she stated unequivocally that he/she would miss the program and expressed a reluctance to leave. Our adolescent worked hard while there, and had the great help of a wonderful therapist and wonderful support staff. We, her parents, were kept apprised by the therapist and others at PQ. Fortunately, we have never had to experience another wilderness program. However, if your child is struggling and you are struggling with your next step, I can highly recommend PQ.

matt chalek

Pacific Quest was eye opening to our son and family. Working with others and correlating the work, effort, and nurturing of the garden to himself, allowed our son to dig deeper into his issues. The peaceful environment and community of caring enabled him to explore issues that were not at the surface before PQ. For example, he was able to probe into facets of adoption that had not been explored, as well as gaining a better understanding of our family's dynamics. Being part of a community, learning to grow and harvest food, and doing work was an excelent paralel to life itself.

sam smith

This program has some good parts to it but there are a bunch of staff and therapists that don’t know what they are doing. I had a therapist with the last name Hastings and she manipulated me about my adoption and treated me like a little kid. There are more staff that should not have this job and when I was there they did not feed us enough. They have unfair policies along with rules that don’t help anyone but themselves to get money. So if I could rate this I wouldn’t even give it one star. So I warned you. Good luck with sending your kid through hell.

Than Healy

Our daughter attended PQ in the spring of 2016 after getting overwhelmed by depression and anxiety and her experience was profound. I will admit that I was skeptical going in but with few other viable options we took the leap and I don't think we've made a better decision as parents. It is true that this is not a vacation at a spa but the outstanding work that the staff did in caring for our daughter, helping her to learn to journal, read, unplug and start to learn who she is was, quite literally, life changing. We attended the family weekend and it started us on the path of creating a different family dynamic, one that was already good to one that is now great. It was hard to be away from our child and hard to have limited communication but she would say that it was one of the best experiences, if at times uncomfortable psychologically, of her life in the end. She spent three months at PQ and we then made the decision to send her to a therapeutic boarding school (the second best decision we've ever made) and now, a year later, she is a different kid, ready to take on the world with a calm and a sense of self that I didn't think was possible. The program is expensive but it was frankly money better spent than anything she will get at college and worth every penny (even if it was painful finding the cash). Her connections to the place and to the staff are things she talks about still and can't wait to come back to visit. Incredible work gets done here.

Carolyn Hoffman

The transformation our son experienced at Pacific Quest was profound and lasting. Their unique integration of Horticulture therapy into a comprehensive therapeutic program focusing on reflection, personal responsibility, and family dynamics, combined with the unwavering support of compassionate professionals makes Pacific Quest exceptional among wilderness therapy programs for challenged adolescents. Because of Pacific Quest, our son will have a chance for the healthy, meaningful life he deserves.

Philip Kaplan

I cannot recommend Pacific Quest highly enough. Let me say that, at the outset, I was somewhat opposed to our daughter going there, as it was very far away and I was nervous about her being away for so long. But my wife and our daughter's therapist convinced me that she needed to go. One good thing about PQ as compared to other wilderness programs is that it is not 'hard core'; there is definitely physical activity, the kids are very active, and they are outside pretty much all the time. It is not 'easy'. However, they are not hiking up mountains or building shelter to live in. This made it something less of a physical shock for our daughter coming from a suburban environment. When she left, she was frequently very irritable, rebellious and disrespectful. But the overwhelming reason for us sending her to PQ was her social dysfunction, severely negative self-image and consequent self-harming behavior. She was clearly out of control and a danger to herself. We had tried one-on-one therapy, CBT, medication, multiple schools etc., and nothing seemed to work. PQ practically worked a miracle. When I went to the family program, it was as though I was seeing a different person. She was coping well with things that in the past would have driven her to extreme disturbance; she was interacting with the adults and other teens there in a healthy way; she was taking responsibility for herself and her behavior; and she had insight into the distorted thinking she had engaged in in the past. She had also taken the initiative to learn much more than required about Hawaiian culture and history, and had become something of an expert on the plant and animal life there. I want to be clear that our daughter was not 100% 'cured'. She still needed to go to a therapeutic boarding school and is in continuing group and individual therapy. She does also continue to take some medication. But she is progressing well at the school and we expect her to be at home within another few months. It is obvious that the caring environment at PQ helped lay the foundation for our daughter's improvement. I could tell when I was there for the parents' visit that they use the right combination of firmness, caring, structure and responsibility to help repair kids who are basically broken when they get there (for various reasons). Whether it was our daughter's patient and calm therapists Danielle and Dr El, the program director Mike, the family coordinator Ash, or all the guides and the rest of the staff, everyone there really cared about my child and helping her improve her mental and physical health. I guess they have the luxury of waiting the kids out in a safe place that we as parents do not have at home. But however they did it, I am very grateful to them for helping my daughter and our family. And though I don't think she would actually want me to tell anybody this because of how often she complained when she was there, during our last visit to our daughter at her boarding school, she confided to me that she liked Pacific Quest. So again, if our experience is any guide, PQ is a great place to send your troubled teen.

Lauren Artigas

Pacific Quest is an Amazing Program! I am a mother of two boys who went through the program. It Save Their Lives! I would recommend this to other families who are in need of emotional or counseling support. My boys are on the road to success and we are forever grateful!

Jeff Campbell

PQ was truly transformational for our teenage daughter and our family. We'd reached a point where less intervening therapeutic paths were simply not improving our daughter's growing anxiety and depression. Coming to terms with the "wilderness" path was perhaps the most difficult parenting situation we've faced. We gained the confidence to move forward after a lot of research, partnering with an experienced educational consultant, and identifying Pacific Quest. We were impressed with their results, and that they offered a physically less demanding option than the top Utah programs...a requirement for our daughter. Having now experienced their program as a parent, it is clear to me that much of their success is a result of closely integrating the whole family into our daughter's journey. Another critical success factor was their attention to identifying the right onsite therapist match. In the end, our daughter has emerged from PQ a totally different teenager, confident, better in control of her challenges, and with a commitment to positive change that has carried her forward to this day. We can’t thank PQ and the staff enough for their work with our daughter.

Leigh Anderson

Our lives were changed forever, and for the better, by our child's time at Pacific Quest. The horticultural therapy was absolutely appropriate for her and the therapy for her and for the whole family was comprehensive and right on target. Our daughter is thriving and our relationship with her is at a whole new level.

Jody LaVoie

Pacific Quest saved my daughter’s life and allowed my family to heal. Following the death of my husband, my daughter’s emotional health was on a steady decline. Her actions put a strain on the entire family. For two years I exhausted every possible therapist, medication, out patient treatment and specialty school until I knew the best option was to remove her from her daily life, place her in a tranquil environment that would allow her to get some perspective and coaching on how to move forward in a healthy way. She departed PQ in May and continues her work at a therapeutic boarding school. I am so proud of her. She is thriving at school, has set goals for her future and is actively engaged in being successful. I now have a very positive outlook for her future. She realizes the impact that PQ had on her life and would one day like to return to work in the field with other teens. I am so thankful that her life course has been changed and PQ was the catalyst for that.

George Freese

Dr. Konik had a huge impact on our child. After our daughter spent years in therapy, he was the first person to figure out the best method to communicate with her and get results. We developed a great rapport with him and believe that his observations and insight were spot on. His passion for his work and his compassion for our daughter was evident. Dr. Konik rocks!!

therese ziegler

Our son was like many young men. In high school he was a good student and well liked among his peers but inside he was struggling with low self esteem and a lack of confidence that made it difficult for him to push through the hard stuff of being a teenager. When he left for college, things unravelled for him. We struggled to find help for him until we found wilderness therapy and Pacific Quest. The horticultural therapy at PQ gives a context to the healing and growth that takes place there. Although the approach is compassionate and nurturing, the therapists got to work helping our son to explore the obstacles the kept him from really getting to know who he was. It was hard work but it came with the support that he needed to recover and grow into the person he was meant to become. PQ also helped us to explore our family dynamic and to improve how we communicate and show our love for each other. We all learned so much from PQ. Our son found the direction and the confidence to weather the storms that life throws at us all. We are forever grateful for all of the insights that we gained while working with Pacific Quest. Terry and Kent Ziegler

Tim Saltzman

This program actually turned my life around from a struggling college student to giving me the foundation to find meaning in life and how to succeed. Yes it is a very mentally tough program and yes it will push you to the edge and most likely over it but in the end it will be worth it for the life skills you will learn

Chris Maginn

Ideally their excellence is better with patients than with the young people who you pull in as applicants. Because that process certainly leaves something to be desired.

Robert Muller

Our son had a really terrific experience at Pacific Quest. Of the five therapeutic programs that he spent time in, Pacific Quest was his favorite. And we feel that it was the one that served him the best. Pacific Quest's garden work was really fantastic as was the overall vibe of the place. I have recommended it to many people since our son was there. Thank you for the great work! Bob Muller

Jon Baker

Our daughter has been anxious/fearful since she was a child. Things got worse in middle school with cutting and an eating disorder. She got her first mental health diagnosis around 6th grade and started therapy and meds for anxiety and depression. In high school she was a good student and lacrosse goalie, but she discovered alcohol and marijuana and started self medicating. About 2 years out of high school we sent her to Pacific Quest after she had a terrifying OD with cocaine and alcohol. It was a quick decision based on the trust we had established with her therapist/educational consultant who referred PQ. It was a leap of faith that has been a game changer in our whole family's life. We had a consistently positive experience from orientation to discharge. Several things that we especially appreciated: 1. Fantastic information management with personal phone calls, weekly calls with our child's therapist and the parent handbook. In fact, the handbook was our lifeline. It was invaluable to have a resource to refer back to to fully understand the curriculum, the phases of the program and the rites of passage from phase to phase. 2. Fantastic therapist and communication. Because our daughter had mental health and substance abuse issues, there was a lot to get our arms around...and the PQ therapist strongly suggested that we work in parallel with our daughter on our family issues. That experience has been nothing short of miraculous. We discovered family of origin issues that have adversely affected our family long before we even had children. She helped us realize that the family is a system, so the healthier it is, the healthier each of us can be individually. Our daughter's work at PQ centered around trauma, self regulation, "staying in discomfort" (as opposed to distracting or "fixing"), and for us, removing expectations and being in acceptance. We also learned a lot when we went to Hilo for "Family Program" which was a tremendous opportunity to see the program in action and, as parents, we got to experience a condensed version of the curriculum that our daughter was going through. Our daughter left PQ drug and alcohol free, and had a back pack full of resources. She had gained valuable new tools to help her to "launch" into independent adulthood. .Her therapist also strongly suggested that she transition to a program that would support her fledgling sobriety so she moved to a sober living house with Intensive Outpatient support for her mental health issues. She has been sober 9 months now and working on her steps in AA and is about to graduate from the IOP. My wife and I continue working on ourselves in Alanon and RCA (Recovering Couples Anonymous), developing insight and collecting more tools to get free from dysfunction and codependency. Both programs have been very helpful to us. It all started with Pacific Quest where we experienced such profound growth in both our daughter and ourselves. And the PQ therapist was instrumental in helping us unravel our enmeshment and to “take the elevator down” into the areas of trust and vulnerability that have been closed off due to longstanding family dynamics. Our daughter has come a long way in the 6 months since leaving PQ, and she continues to struggle with connecting to her own authenticity... but it's getting better day by day, and I know the work at PQ was absolutely essential to get her into the place of independence that she’s in today. She's validating herself, feeling her feelings, seeing her unconscious patterns of behavior and her brain is literally rewiring with more positive, healthy coping mechanisms and life skills. Thank you PQ!

Colleen Jones

Pacific Quest was a life changer for our son and our family. The therapeutic program provided nourishment for his soul and equipped him with the ability to understand himself. Horticultural therapy is utilized at Pacific Quest to reconnect adolescents and young adults with the simple things in life. To plant seeds. Grow fruit. Weed. Harvest. And, start all over again. Horticultural therapy is a way for a person to reconnect with the simple aspects of life and then realize life is not that simple. Horticultural therapy enables a person to reflect on their past and move on with their future. It enables one to have inner peace and have a deeper reflection on the meaning of life.

Mary Madsen

This program may be good for teens particularly those who are behavior problems and/or simply entitiled and spoiled brats but if you have a young adult child who actually suffers from anxiety and depression your money will be better spent by finding an expert psychiatrist and therapist. The staff is not qualified to deal with mental health problems, it seems they consider depression and anxiety to be behavioral issues rather than psychiatric illnesses despite volumes of scientific evidence to the contrary. The psychiatrist affiliated with the program is little more than a quack. Pacific Quest did absolutely nothing to help our son but once he was home we were able to find experts at Weill-Cornell in NYC who made an accurate diagnosis and through appropriate medical care and psychotherapy he has made a complete turn around. PQ is at it's heart a money making scheme for the owners that may occasionally help a teenager. There is a reason health insurance will not reimburse for these programs. Word to the wise, ask to read the parent's handbook prior to enrolling your child so that you know ahead of time exactly what you are expected to do to your adult child who enters the program voluntarily.

Anne McAuliffe

Pacific Quest changed our lives forever. Every person affiliated with PQ was professional and caring. It is clean, well staffed and safe. Without hesitation I highly recommend this program. It changed the course of our child's life as well as that of our family. If you are considering sending your child here then go ahead and do it. She/he is in good hands.

Emily Kaplan

No coping skills were allowed. No music the whole time. Couldn't choose clothes. Couldn't use the proper amenities and my skin ended up breaking out and my hair being damaged. Left having a complete mental breakdown and practically jumped into the car and drove it away myself. I have since signed a refusal of care from the therapist and psychiatrist who forced me there and don't plan on seeing either of them ever again. I protested relentlessly and was still forced there, then big surprise - it was horrible. What a waste. I can't say I'll be forgiving my parents or the so-called "mental health professionals" any time soon.

Trish Cauley

My son drew a great deal of comfort from the gardens at PQ and from the process of growing food, and then preparing and eating the food they grew. It was something that in the past he would not have paid any attention to. But once he was at PQ, he was able to appreciate all the beauty that his natural surroundings had. His eyes were opened. He learned patience. He experienced empathy. As a side benefit he became interested in nature, and realized that what we put into our bodies is so critically important to our health and wellbeing.

Amber Marienthal

PacificQuest saved my son. They were the perfect place to send him to get him clear headed and cooperative before we sent him on to a therapeutic boarding school. After both programs our son returned home better than we could have ever hoped. He is a happy, healthy, employed teen getting ready to apply to college! We could not be happier.

Cali Pastor

Pacific Quest saved my life, and has made me into a version of myself that I never could have imagined. I am now healthy, strong, independent, and HAPPY thanks to the amazing staff, students, and environment that I had at PQ. 13/10 would recommend.

John Clardy

I recommend PacificQuest in the highest possible terms. When our son started PacificQuest 14 months ago, he was in over his head and so were we. We had tried local solutions and nothing was working. Making the difficult decision to send him to PacificQuest was - and I say this without hyperbole - one of the best decisions we've ever made. The pros at PacificQuest have worked with hundreds of families like ours and are the best of the best. The program was difficult for all involved, but, more than a year later, our son is happy and well and it all started with PacificQuest. If there was one thing I could say to a parent considering PacificQuest, it would be this: do what it takes (financially and otherwise) to get your child in the wilderness program that is the best possible fit, as soon as it's clear that a wilderness program will be necessary. We have two children who both struggle with depression. Our oldest didn't go to wilderness and our youngest did, and I can say from personal experience that finding an effective wellness program early can save years of pain down the road. When your child is suffering, every day counts. Choose PacificQuest and get on the path to wellness.

Martha Wiltamuth

My daughter’s experience at Pacific Quest was instrumental in helping her decide to change the trajectory of her life. The program gave her the space, the experiences and the tools for her to embark on the road to healing. Additionally, PQ assisted our family in understanding our daughter and our family dynamics. Highly recommended.

Don Unser

This program helped save my daughter's life. The connection with nature and her mental health was a true fit and it was an important step towards her journey. She is now getting ready for college and in a great place. Thank you PQ for your part in my daughter's life! Mahalo!

Mark Wittcoff

As parents, we want our kids to be happy and independent and to have the skills and confidence to face challenges in their lives and to grow from them. Pacific Quest is the most impressive, caring and transformative place that any teen can find out who they are and to develop into who they want to become. My son’s experience at Pacific Quest was transformative for him and for our whole family. We attribute his incredible progress in school, his leadership in our community, his confidence with friends and his happiness at home to everything he experienced at Pacific Quest. Pacific Quest’s professionalism and innovation is unequalled anywhere in the World and we are forever grateful for the meaningful guidance and formative experience we experienced there together with our son. I feel privileged to recommend Pacific Quest to anyone who is ready to help their teen discover their potential.

Edmund Hollander

Pacific Quest took a scared, anxious, depressed girl and started her on the road to being a more confident young adult. I would recommend it to any parent who has a child in need of help.The program is remarkably well organized from admissions, through therapy, through communication with the parents. Our daughter will never escape the issues that impact her but Pacific Quest gave her the tools to understand who she is and how to more effectively advocate for herself and communicate with others. We are deeply indebted to the caring staff and therapists for the wonderful work they did with our daughter.

delaney l

i chose to go to pq. i was ready to get better and very open minded to treatment. i have been home for almost a year now and can honestly say that it was the most horrible thing i have ever gone through. being unable to talk to your parents or the people you love is so heartbreaking and i cant remember a day that i wasnt overwhelmingly anxious there. whenever i think about it now it makes me incredibly anxious and i still have nightmares about it

Kerrie Halmi

Our daughter went to Pacific Quest (PQ) in the spring of 2018. She suffered from depression and anxiety. Regular therapy at home was not enough and we heard about PQ. We were very reluctant to send her away from home. However, the staff made us feel better about the decision. Now, we know it was the best decision we could have made. It changed her life! The healthy living made a huge difference. The on-going therapy with Andrew Vispo (who was absolutely fantastic) helped her immensely and helped us. We will be forever grateful to PQ, Andrew and the rest of the staff.

Benjamin Milbrath

There is lots to say so where to start? My daughter came to PQ after struggling mightily with anxiety for many years. The anxiety and inability to be able to process it got to the point that it manifested itself physically causing her body to shut down and her being unable to to get out of bed and go to high school. To be VERY honest I was very skeptical of these types of programs but after trying absolutely everything else I was left with no other option to help my daughter. She left to PQ right after her school year finished as she was not allowed to participate in graduation. We did not have much contact except through our weekly letters which I didn’t understand but came to after going through the program. I believe PQ helped and allowed my daughter to refocus on what was important to her and to figure out many things that she was unable to focus on with all the distractions that the world throws at you on a daily basis. The ability to take a step back and step out of everything and just spend the time to reflect process and discuss and dig in to the past and more importantly to learn from it and how to accept and process it as a young adult was invaluable. She grew a lot during that time and the staff at PQ was always there to help keep her on the path and give her the daily guidance she needed to keep learning and to give her the skills to cope as a adult. As I look back on it I honestly think the amount of time and the depth of the education and teaching of life skills would be impossible to do without such a immersive setting. My daughter finished at PQ and went on to a secondary program as she started college to help keep the gains she established at PQ on track. I am happy to report that she left that support program after three months and lives on her own in a apartment and finished her freshman year at college with a 3.75 GPA she is back on track to being a happy young adult on her life’s journey. There are always bumps along the way but I think the tools she got from attending PQ are constantly there for her to pull from her toolkit to help address them. Those were tools I was not able to provide to her so I am blessed that she was able to learn and accept and grow with someone else’s help. A special shout out to Dr Bertoncin who loved and cared for my little girl as she was her own throughout the program I am happy to talk to any prospective parents directly if they think it would be of help You can reach out directly to PQ and they can put you in touch with me. Benjamin

Ali B

Over the last 2 years both my children were fortunate enough to have been helped by Pacific Quest. One was an adolescent, and the other was a young adult, each based at the different PQ locations on Hawaii’s Big Island. Each location is deeply rooted in nature and offers the residents an integrated experience of working with the land and in nature. Both my children returned deeply impacted by the therapeutic aspects of horticultural therapy that they experienced at Pacific Quest, while both their experiences were very different, they both spoke lovingly of the grounding aspects of gardening and growing food and the cycle of nature. The work on the land helped them get in touch with a new baseline by which to judge their actions. My husband and I visited them there and were able to see the gardens for ourselves. The environment and experience that PQ offers its residents is full of both symbolism for their growth and daily hands-on grounding experiences. We were aware of other wilderness therapy programs, but the amazing bounty of exotic fruits and plants at PQ fills one with wonder for the natural world and helps to bring hope to the environment. The amazing guides and coaches at PQ helped to weave the experience into something very meaningful for my children using stories, practical activities and cooking to help them heal. Both my children have said that their time working on the land at PQ had a lasting and deep impact on their psyche.

Bob D

PQ is a fantastic place for a struggling teen to find their way. Personal growth is never an easy journey but these folks are on spot and experienced in what they do.

David Herzberg

PQ focuses on the total health of troubled teens. This includes mental health, physical wellness, sleep, nutrition. Our son's health was in a shambles when he arrived at PQ, due to his addiction and all of the consequences of that. He regained so much health and physical and mental stability during his 11 weeks at PQ. PQ can be part of a solution for getting troubled teens back on a healthy track, but it is not the whole thing. A good transition plan is essential: where will the child go when he leaves PQ, how will he consolidate the gains and progress he made? The one thing we would do differently is to have that transition managed better, probably with the help of an educational consultant

Erik Jul

Pacific Quest plays a pivotal role in the lives of teens and young men and women who attend. The well-developed staff and theory of change complement each other to foster beneficial conditions for change. The young adult and adolescent programs rest upon grounded theory across biopsychosocial development of the person, and empower parents, youth, and program staff to mindfully engage in powerful change. Change is often a nonlinear process, and the safe framework created by Pacific Quest allows for students to embrace strong themes of well-being while simultaneously engaging in their own, nuanced manner of growth. The attunement produced by the therapeutic model promotes students to feel well-received and “gotten” by staff and therapists. The wellness aspect of Pacific Quest builds a foundation of self-care and compassion for one’s body, heart and head, and assists students in discovering their “self” and experience as a temple. The program allows students to find a safe place to land amidst current conflict, and invites stakeholders in their life to become architects and co-creators of change. In building a “next best” chapter for individuals, Pacific Quest uses incisive psychological assessment to understand the strengths and challenges presented to the student. This creates a road map to change and assists competent and caring therapists to engage families in new ways of understanding and being. Pacific Quest’s path to change is deliberate, mindful, responsive, and effective. Pacific Quest sets a higher standard of care for the field in every evolution it encounters and deepens its identity as a powerful agent of change.

Morgan Spade

As a former camper, I can say with 100% certainty that this is the only place I would recommend to others. PQ helped me take what was destroying my life previously, and use it to drive me forward. Too many places out there try to break children down into these mailable molds, when in reality you can never change who a person truely is. PQ does things right. They help kids use what they have, even though originally seen as detrimental, to benefit themselves and become successful in life, whatever that may be. Everyone is different and you will never be able to conform everyone to the same mold, and PQ recognizes everyone’s individuality and cherishes it. PQ gave me confidence that luckily stuck through all my RTC’s efforts to diminish it. Confidence like that will go far for any person, but was especially beneficial for a young girl like myself. I’ve recommended many people to look into PQ over the years when they come to me for advice, and I will continue to do so as I have yet to find another place that truely wants to help like PQ does. If you are struggling to make a decision for your child because you are scared to hand them off into a stranger’s hands, this place is the only one that I would say you can do that knowing that your child will be well taken care of.

Rebekah Tayebi

As someone who specializes in transitioning kids home from wilderness, I've learned which programs really make a difference in a family's life. Pacific Quest strikes me as one of the most impactful programs because each kid I work with comes home with an internalized sense of healing. When I had the privilege of visiting PQ last December, I saw firsthand how PQ is able to reach each child. The natural landscape invites a strong connection to the earth, while the deeply caring clinicians and staff help each kid find their way back to themselves. I felt inspired to be a better person and healer after witnessing the level of warmth and skill at PQ.

Frank Small

We will be eternally grateful for the help, guidance and support our family received from PQ. The focus on a healthy lifestyle and overall physical wellbeing combined with strong therapeutic programming creates a wonderful atmosphere for healing. The entire staff including the guides, therapists, admissions and even office staff, are deeply caring, dedicated, well trained and fully committed to long term success. Although our child has graduated, our family continues to benefit from their ongoing support. Our collective experience with PQ has positively altered the trajectory of our lives.

nancy greenfield

It has been 6 years since our son's Pacific Quest experience. He had been expelled from High School only a few months shy of graduation. All the issues and denials from many years finally came to roost that difficult day. Luckily we found our way to a school counseling group where a counselor, after meeting our son, recommended we consider PQ. I am so glad she did, and we did! Our son needed guidance in order to understand and take responsibility for so many choices he had made over the years. We needed to understand our part in it. During his months at PQ, our son, as well as the rest of our family, were supported, challenged and guided. Our son's growth and the insight he gained were remarkable. We all learned a common language for discussing challenging issues. One of the most important things I would tell any parent is that your child doesn't go to PQ to get "fixed". They learn, grow, are pushed and challenged in ways they wouldn't have imagined. And you as a parent will be pushed and challenged as well. There will be difficult times after PQ, because that is life. But the life skills your son or daughter will gain will help them navigate through the ups and downs of their life. Our son did not graduate from High School. He spent his HS graduation day on a solo trip in Hawaii, having his own private "graduation" with a sun hat and rain poncho. But last week he walked across the stage in full cap and gown to GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE!!!! Thank you Pacific Quest!!

Melanie Scott

Our daughter went to PQ after a serious manic episode and subsequent depression. Her time at PQ was very healing. She worked with a wonderful therapist and has continued to use skills and tools that she learned there. Working in the garden and spending time in beautiful Hawaii was a beneficial part of her therapy. I highly recommend this program.

Westin Evans

I met with some of the staff of this organization in Hilo, They bragged to me about how much they hated some of the children and would hit them if they got out of line or emotionally abuse them. Really unsettling,

Danielle Burkhardt

Trustworthy and heartfelt organization that is dedicated to the support of teenagers.

Alexandra Dixon

I enrolled in Pacific Quest several years ago when I was eighteen. I signed up willingly and was told if there were any problems, I would be able to leave. This is the first among many deceptions I encountered. When I arrived, I was eager to find a place of healing and was extremely disappointed to find that everyone there was extremely unhappy about being there. I should note that I have never had problems with authority and have always been a respectful and mature person. Pacific Quest takes away all freedoms in a way that is supposed to ensure safety, but instead makes the participants feel demoralized. They treat mental health struggles as a disciple problem rather than an illness. Upon arrival, you will be stripped of all your possessions to keep everyone on an even playing field, if you will. In theory, this seems fine. However, if you sign out, everything you flew in with, including your ID, phone, and any money will be shipped back to your guardians. They will then drop you off at a homeless shelter and stay with you, and they will not let you make any phone calls. I personally never tried to leave because I knew it was a hopeless cause. About .5% of people are ever able to successfully leave. Your contact with your family is extremely limited to a once-a-week letter and you will not be able to ever speak with them in private. All letters are sent and censored by therapists. You will inevitably end up staying much longer than the estimated time frame provided on the website. They claim this is due to everyone’s personal therapeutic process. I have never felt so trapped in my life. I never did anything to deserve their distrust, and yet I was treated as a delinquent. For my entire stay, there was a horrible illness circulating. Everybody got it at least once, and most of us got it two or three times. Fever and horrible diarrhea. When this happened, we were not allowed to rest. We were strongly encouraged to continue working in the hot sun, breaking up concrete with metal bars and digging trenches. I wish I was exaggerating. Even if we refused do work, we were not allowed to lie down and rest. I once had a migraine and they would not give me any ibuprofen or medication at all. I was not allowed to lie down. I had to stay. There are no breaks in the day at Pacific Quest. There is also no privacy. You will never be alone. Not in the bathroom. Not ever. No conversations are allowed outside of staff earshot. You will always be listened to. If you make a close friend, they will likely separate you so you do not “disrupt each other’s progress.” There is no touching. You will go a minimum of three months with no platonic human contact. No hugs, no pats on the shoulder, no handshakes. This is incredibly unhealthy as physical contact is something that the human body and mind need. This program left me with so much new trauma and baggage I did not have before. I fear sounding dramatic but many aspects of it were eerily similar to prison. Yes, I made friends. Yes, I learned that I could power through in times of desperation. And yes, I did have meaningful experiences in group therapy. However, it was not worth the dehumanizing experience. Since then, I entered another therapeutic program. After Pacific Quest and the transition program I was forced to join, I still had unmanageable depression and anxiety. I was terrified to admit this to my family as I had such horrific experiences in these programs, but after much deliberation, I decided I had no choice but to try another program. I went to a non-profit residential program called CooperRiis and I could not believe how well I was treated. I was treated with trust and respect. If I had wanted to leave, I certainly could have. But I wasn’t miserable there. after lots of therapy there, I realized just how truly traumatic Pacific Quest had been for me. It has left me with trust issues and fear of authority. I have had to work on it in therapy years later. I had to share this because I couldn’t keep quiet anymore. Please be careful. Healing is available in many other ways.

Peter B

After a particularly difficult period of several months culminating in hospitalization, we elected to send our teenage daughter to wilderness therapy for issues related to her depression and anxiety disorders, along with related conditions, such as low self-esteem. Several excellent wilderness therapy programs were recommended to us; however, most involve a significant component of outdoor living or variations of camping/wilderness experience, which we did not believe were a good fit for our daughter. The horticultural approach was a key element in selecting Pacific Quest for our daughter, leveraging an existing interest she had in gardening. The experience at Pacific Quest provided the first real encouraging and sustainable progress we’d seen with our daughter. While her assigned therapist used complementary therapeutic approaches and techniques appropriate for our daughter’s personality and situation, we believe the time spend in gardening activities gave her time to reflect, absorb and reinforce the lessons she was learning This enabled out daughter to begin to believe in herself again and develop a positive vision for her future. She began to use the tools, techniques and skills she’d learn but previously ignored. In addition, the low pressure environment and regular medical supervision allowed us to take our daughter off all her medications and do a “reset”, whereby we were carefully able to recalibrate her medication regime. Pacific Quest also worked with us as parents to understand the role we played in inadvertently fostering continued unproductive behaviors. This helped us to develop effective, implementable plans to improve our ability to support our daughter sustain her transformation. We were thrilled with such positive results in such a relatively short period. Yes, there are bumps in the road and minor setbacks but nothing like what we were experiencing before Pacific Quest and horticultural therapy; and both she and we feel much better equipped to deal with those challenges. Our daughter is back home with us now and completing high school. Pacific Quest and the lessons and skills she developed there frequently come up in conversation, reinforcing our belief that sending her there was the right decision.

Karin Kayser

Pacific Quest is everything it presents itself to be, only infinitely more. Every parent wants to be able to give their child every possibility in life to realized their potential, contribute to the greater good, and thrive. It's agonizing when you wake up one day, and realize that all the things you have been trying to do to help your child are not working, and they are simply getting further and further away from their best destiny, and sometimes even their very life. Sending my daughter to PQ was the hardest thing I have every done, and it will forever be my best moment. I had a lot of concern about her safety, her ability to adapt, along with worry about her hating me for sending her away. PQ not only did an amazing job with my daughter, but provided me with a level of understanding and support that I didn't think was possible. I can honestly say that I have not one piece of constructive feedback. PQ exceeded my expectations and continues to do so now over a year later. My daughter and I consider them to be part of our ohana and credit this program with saving not only my daughters life, but bringing our family back together.

Sarah Benton

I would highly recommend PQ. In a world full of distractions this was the perfect place to help my child 4 years ago. She is about to graduate and has been accepted to a wonderful university. It is very hard when your child has problems that go above and beyond “normal” teenage times. PQ not only saved our child, they saved us as well. I would not hesitate to recommend PQ to any parent who may be struggling with their teen and don’t know where to turn. PQ will help your family!

Traci Mulligan

We had a positive experience with PQ and recommend it often to others who don't know where to turn. They work with the entire family which is crucial. We feel like we got as much out of it as our son did. The Family Workshop was incredibly powerful. It was entirely the right first step for us on the road to permanent changes.

Darcy Hicks

We sent our son to Pacific Quest out of sheer desperation, without too much understanding of what kind of therapy he would be receiving there. All we knew is that it was a gentle, supportive version of wilderness therapy and that was what we wanted for our son. Once he was there, we had a chance to read up on the horticulture therapy which was the crux of the experience at PQ. Our first reports from Theo's therapists, were that our son's reaction to this was, "Yeah, yeah, the plants grow and I grow. I get it. This is stupid." But at home, where I keep a greenhouse, I began noticing all the tasks I performed in a new light. As I weeded, I thought about the explanation PQ gives for focusing on getting rid of what isn't working, making room for the good soil to nurture the plant. When I put stakes in the ground to tie to the taller plants so they wouldn't fall, I thought about the support that growing kids need as they grow so quickly. And so on. I was not sure how our son was feeling about the horticulture part, until we visited halfway through his stay. We arrived to find him spiritedly covered in sticky leaves, and he proudly showed us his garden. He instructed us on the best way to compost, explaining that he liked composting because it reminded him that the bad experiences in life can still be made useful if they are used in the right way. During that visit, we weeded together, listening to his voice which we knew and loved - and had missed for so long - talk about the wonder of aloe and the way plants know how to find the sun. Today he is doing great...like the plants, he has learned to find the sun. We are so grateful to have found Pacific Quest.

Jamie

Our family was fortunate to have found Pacific Quest, as it was exactly the right place for our daughter given the challenges she had been experiencing. Our family had the privilege of working with Dr. Konik while our daughter’s was at Pacific Quest, and we all came away incredibly impressed with the impact he had in such a short period of time. Dr. Konik immediately earned our daughter’s trust and respect, given the unique way he connected with her by being equal parts direct and empathetic. The sincerity with which he applied his clear expertise was also superb – there was never any doubt that he truly believed in PQ’s ability to help our daughter and guide our family out of what had been a very difficult set of challenges. Our daughter is doing amazingly well, and came away from the PQ experience full of both optimism about that which comes next and the resilience to address those challenges that all of us inevitably face. We are happy to discuss the experience our family had with the PQ program anytime.

Andrew Morts

This is just one of WWASP new face since the abuse has came to the light these are all Mormon based wilderness child therapy schools, PLEASE GOOGLE WWASP this is the new wwasp now known as NATSAP These people belong in jail! The amount of abuse and torture they inflict on children is beyond words, They will send 'transporters to your childs room for money and have them abducted in the middle of the night handcuffed throw in a car and dragged all the way to the big island of Hawaii. Do your research please!!

Lynne ODonnell

My son was dealing with issues of anxiety and depression and had turned to drugs to self medicate. We knew he needed to get help and was interested in some kind of "wilderness" therapy. We found Pacific Quest by searching the web and are so grateful that we did. PQ was such a great experience for my son as well as our entire family. He learned how to dig deep within himself to find his own strengths and accept himself for who he is. Some of his issues will be life long but now he is better able to see when he getting down and he has better tools to work through things. He is also so much more willing to open up and ask people for help. If you are a young adult or you have a young adult who is struggling in this crazy world and need some help then I highly recommend reaching out to PQ. They can help you determine if they may be good fit and if they are I highly recommend making that investment in your family.

Lori Goldstrom

I was going to start by saying PQ changed my daughters life. Upon more thought, the truth is PQ helped my daughter to change her own life. They gave her the tools to handle her anxiety and take control of the things which had been controlling her. PQ is a reset button. A chance to leave behind everything. The chance to escape the vicious cycle of bad decisions and learn how to believe in yourself again. The opportunity to bond with others who also struggle, learn from each other and support one another. The chance for each child to get to the core of who they are. From our very first contact with PQ admissions, we instantly felt a sense of organization and competency. They were always responsive to calls and quick to answer questions or concerns. They have been running this program for a long time, and it shows. The phases of the program are methodical and explained to the kids and parents in great detail. There is a purpose for everything they do. We were always kept abreast of our daughters progress and had regularly scheduled calls with her phenomenal therapist each week. Nevertheless, if we had a question or concern, we could reach out to her therapist whenever we needed to do so. She was our primary contact and was the perfect selection for our daughter. We attended the Parent Program while she was there and found it to be exceptional. The programming they did with the parents alone, and then with the parents and kids together, was meaningful and productive. We got more out of it than I could possibly describe in this review. Suffice it to say that we live on the east coast, so it was a major undertaking, and it was worth every penny. The changes we saw in our daughters self awareness, in the 6 weeks she had been there, the strategies she'd learned to help herself, and the spark we saw again in her eyes, were invaluable, not to mention the benefit of the family therapy. It was an incredible program. PQ far exceeded our expectations. We never imagined the change we'd see in such a short time. Our daughter thrived there and wants to go back to visit someday, or even work there. It was a transforming experience and one for which we are all immensely grateful. She is now at a Young Adult program and practicing the skills she learned in Hawaii as she navigates more independence and responsibilities. Lastly, I will leave you with this conversation I had with my daughter during the few days we had alone together after she left PQ, and before I dropped her at her next program. This says it all. Daughter: I'm so lucky, Mom. Me: I'm happy to hear you say that. Any particular reason why you feel that way? Daughter: Most people with anxiety live their whole lives not knowing how to deal with it. Today is my 18th birthday, and I have my whole life ahead of me, and I already know what to do. I will never forget that moment. If you would like to reach out to me directly, I am on the PQ reference list. They will be happy to pass along my contact info.

Liz Pavlov

Pacific Quest was the start of our daughter's path to recovery. She found the strength to begin to address her issues. The staff was strict, but caring. They inspired her to do the hard work that she needed to do. The values they taught there will benefit her all her life. She was miserable in the beginning, but left loving the people and the place. She is continuing her work at a therapeutic boarding school, and is making great progress, due in part to the great start she got at Pacific Quest.

Barbara Cass

We have the opportunity to work with the parents whose students have gone through the program and transitioned into long-term care. The parents consistently share that the experience at PQ was significant and enriching not only for their young person but the parents and ultimately the entire family. They feel supported and included throughout the experience and appreciate both the concepts as well as the practical tools they can practice and continue to use.

Michael Sherman

I knew my son probably needed to be away for a while. His mom and I worked very hard with many therapists, doctors, teachers, psychiatrists, family and friends over years of school avoidance mostly due to depression and anxiety to eventually placing him at Pacific Quest. At first hearing about it he was scared and unwilling to accept it but I believe he was actually relieved he was going some where away from us to a place he could find himself and, in a way, restart his life again. And once he accepted that we weren't backing down, he was excited to get himself onto that flight and we watched him board the plane ready to take on the changes he so desperately needed to make. Just because one may be dealing with depression and anxiety, the burden of teen age angst, the emotions of a high school adjustment, cyber and physical bullying and a family in turmoil is just too much for anyone to handle on his own. Going some where else to only work on his own stuff was what was needed most at the most critical time in his life. We had other options in choosing a wilderness program but felt our son would not respond well to most of "nomadic" programs out there. The horticultural therapy system that involves a host of responsibilities surrounding the gardens with the care taking of growing fruits and vegetables pulls them together and creates a "family" of gardeners that support each other and help each other through many of their tasks. My son needed to learn how to get to sleep with regularity, eat properly and work diligently with purpose and he discovered a lot about himself doing those things there. He developed a sense of leadership as his confidence grew within and came out of the shell he was in prior to arriving. And as the weeks went by his mom and I realized he was changing so quickly we couldn't believe it but also could believe it. Because we always knew that intelligent athletic sensitive intuitive and giving person just needed a place somewhere else to begin growing again. And we found such a place in Pacific Quest

Jenna App

Pacific Quest provided a much needed safe space where our child was challenged to reflect, grow and work through trauma. The use of the garden became a powerful metaphor for our child’s new path, and although it was extremely hard for her, she looks back on her time at PQ with a lot of positivity. We feel like PQ was the first step onto a new path.

Shari Rosenman

This place saved our daughter. She suffered from debilitating depression and anxiety. We spent many months trying every other form of therapy and medical treatment possible before sending her to Pacific Quest. We were referred here by a wonderful educational consultant. That's when things started to turn around. It's extreme. The young adults are in the extreme heat of Hawaii (and also extreme beauty), with very strict rules and limitations on freedom. But the combination of life in nature and extreme circumspection leads to self awareness and self acceptance, which are the necessary preconditions to moving forward in the world with mental health challenges. PQ is a very well run program that moves young adults through various stages of self discovery and recovery through gardening and other interactions with nature, healthy eating and exercise, education, group and individual therapy, guided family therapy, coping skills, journaling, building confidence and independence, and so much more. This is an expensive program and it's therefore out of reach for most families. But if you have the resources and a young adult in pain, there is probably nothing better you could ever spend your money on.

Maura McMahon

The professional, compassionate staff at PQ guided us through the murky waters of having a teenager in crisis. I will forever be grateful for each and every one there.