Pacific Quest Bridges the Gap Between Outdoor Wilderness Therapy and Residential Treatment Programs

September 9, 2020

Pacific Quest (PQ), a cutting-edge integrated behavioral healthcare program based on the Big Island, provides a new treatment option for adolescents and young adults struggling with anxiety, depression, isolation, trauma, and substance misuse.

Hilo, HI, Sept 9, 2020 – Pacific Quest (PQ), a cutting-edge integrated behavioral healthcare program based on the Big Island, provides a new treatment option for adolescents and young adults struggling with anxiety, depression, isolation, trauma, and substance misuse.

For many casual observers, the term “Wilderness Therapy” evokes survival- and breakdown-based therapies and a sink-or-swim mentality. But Pacific Quest’s clinical team takes a more supportive, strengths-based approach. “We’re working with kids who have already internalized a lot of trauma and negativity,” says Co-Founder, Suzanne McKinney. “They need us to build them back up, not tear them down.”

Through horticultural therapy, individualized experiences, Rites of Passage, and a multifaceted treatment approach that prioritizes whole-person wellness, the program equips young people with the tools to lead better, more fulfilling lives.

The program’s location on Hawaii’s Big Island also plays a role in the therapeutic practices. Adolescents and young adults alike have opportunities to hike, and get their hands in the dirt on the program’s sustainable farm—a key piece of the program’s Horticultural Therapy offering. Essentially, the remote location lets participants step away from the pressures and demands of their daily lives, creating a safe space to practice new, sustainable life skills.

Despite the outdoors playing a crucial role in Pacific Quest’s therapeutic model, all residents sleep indoors under the supervision of awake night staff. “It’s the best of both worlds,” says Admissions Director, Kellyn Smythe. “Students get the benefits of a Wilderness Therapy Program during the day, and parents can rest easy knowing they’re safely inside at night.”

As a first-of-its-kind program, the founders and administrators at Pacific Quest are working closely with the Hawaii Department of Health to ensure their facilities adhere to the highest standards of safety and quality care.

About Pacific Quest:

Pacific Quest began 16 years ago with the mission to provide hope to parents and struggling adolescents and young adults by facilitating life-changing experiences on the Big Island of Hawaii. The hybrid wilderness/residential therapy program works with adolescents and young adults struggling with anxiety, depression, isolation, substance misuse, and trauma.