YOUNG ADULTS

Pacific Quest: Cultivating Change

Today, young adults face a unique set of social challenges.. At Pacific Quest, we take a strengths-based approach to help participants ages 18-24 boost their self-esteem, heal traumas, and break cycles of harmful and self-destructive behaviors. 

The Pacific Quest Experience

Pacific Quest’s young adult program operates out of our well-appointed homes on the east side of Hawaii’s Big Island. Each day, students participate in outdoor programming. Every evening they sleep in a secure dormitory monitored by awake staff.

Cultivating New Beginnings

From the moment they arrive, each young adult is supported by an experienced team of wellness professionals. Routines vary according to individual needs, but our program focuses on crucial life and mental health skills. These include self-care and hygiene, meal preparation and planning, horticultural therapy, personal reflection, individual and group therapy, group initiatives, communication, journaling, goal development and evaluation, wellness education, physical activity, and community service.

A portion of each student’s stay takes place at Reed’s Bay. Located on the Hilo Bay coastline, the site encompasses five acres of open spaces with botanical gardens, freshwater ponds, and Pacific Ocean access. Our 8,000 sq. ft. facility has bunkrooms, a large kitchen, and recreational spaces for yoga, group sessions, and gathering.

Once settled in, our students go on group outings to explore the Big Island's cultural, historic, and scenic areas.

These outings serve as a chance to practice newly learned skills off-campus and interact with the community. Day outings include visits to:

• White, black, and green sand beaches
• Volcanoes National Park
• Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Gardens
• Mauna Kea Summit Observatory
• State parks and local museums

During the program’s later stages, young adults participate in community service projects to foster a sense of community stewardship. Pacific Quest has partnered with several local groups to provide rich opportunities for young adults to serve others.

Is Pacific Quest the Right Choice for Me?

Pacific Quest provides the tools and interpersonal skills to make positive life choices and break cycles of distress. Our program is ideal for those that could benefit from communal living, connection to nature, and developing a sense of personal responsibility and community stewardship. Our clients need a break from the stress and overstimulation of daily life but require a residential treatment program’s structure and resources.

We are not the right choice for clients experiencing an acute mental health crisis or refusing to engage in the medical recommendations of treatment. We are also not an appropriate resource for students with court-mandated treatment, conduct disorder, or out of home aggression. PQ is also not suitable for some medical conditions or those who may require a medical detox. Visit our resource library for a more comprehensive list of issues and diagnoses we specialize in.

Diagnostic Library

Wilderness Therapy, Evolved

Today’s youth are living in an always-on, plugged-in world. Research has shown that this constant stimulation overload contributes to heightened anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues. Built on the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, Pacific Quest’s outdoor behavioral health programs create space for healing, self-reflection, and growth.

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Horticulture Therapy

Horticultural therapy is all about supporting growth—both in the garden and in your personal life. At Pacific Quest, horticultural therapy isn’t just an intervention. It’s also an overarching philosophy. It addresses hyperarousal and dysregulation in the nervous system while nurturing a reciprocal relationship with the natural world. The gardens are a living example of what growth and adaptation look like, providing our participants empowering life skills that they can carry into life after the program.   

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Wellness Programs

Pacific Quest’s focus on whole-person wellness addresses the clinical and medical complexity of each of our participants. Because there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for physical and mental health. Specifically, our fully integrated clinical and medical team teaches students to focus on the five pillars of health.

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Clinical Programs

If you’re considering Pacific Quest, it’s likely that traditional therapy methods have not been helpful. Pacific Quest offers you the benefits of traditional outdoor behavioral health programs with the resources of a more residential treatment experience. Our neurosequential approach to treatment meets participants where they are at with individualized treatment plans.

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Experiential Learning

Our clinical model allows you to learn through personal and group experiences. Not only do these structured experiences provide valuable life skills in a controlled environment, they’re also designed to teach you the depth of your strengths and capabilities. Experiential learning includes our accredited academics course, outdoor behavioral health programs, Rites of Passage, and community outings in beautiful Hawaii.

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Rise and shine!

7AM to 8:30AM

Wake up and make your bed

Circle up with group to check in and plan the day

Morning meditation, yoga, or sensory activity

Breakfast with the group and post-meal clean up

Morning medication distribution and self care routine

Get ready for the day ahead!

10:15AM Snack Time

10:30AM to 1:30PM

Land project activities and preparations

Experiential learning activities

Student or guide led groups

Team-building activities and initiatives

Lunch and meal clean-up

One hour of exercise: circuits, yoga, or games

1:45PM Snack Time
At the House

4PM to 6:30PM

Time for chores, showers, study hall, and student or guide-led group activities

Staff check-ins and goal check-in

Group dinner and community meeting time

Evening medication distribution, meal clean up

Time for performances, games, stories, music, and theme-based discussions

Transition ceremonies, welcoming ceremonies, and appreciation ceremonies

9AM to 10:15AM

Because our integrative care plans are personalized for each student, no two days will be the same. But, in general, daily activities include:

Garden activities like planting, weeding, and harvesting

Individual and group therapy sessions

Academic lessons and study hall

Psychiatric appointments and wellness checks

Lunch prep or outing prep

An outing—volcano, forest trails, or ocean adventure

2PM to 4PM

Gardening and farm chores

Working on individual projects

Letter writing time

Ceremonies, lessons, or group activities

Farm clean-up, head back to the house

Winding Down

6:30PM to 8PM

Circle down. Evening meditation and stretching, music, sensory activity, emotional check-in

Nightly self care routine

Bunk time: Reading, journaling, regulating activities

Lights out

Rise and shine!

7AM to 8:30AM

Wake up and make your bed

Circle up with group to check in and plan the day

Morning meditation, yoga, or sensory activity

Breakfast with the group and post-meal clean up

Morning medication distribution and self care routine

Get ready for the day ahead!

9AM to 10:15AM

Because our integrative care plans are personalized for each student, no two days will be the same. But, in general, daily activities include:

Garden activities like planting, weeding, and harvesting

Individual and group therapy sessions

Academic lessons and study hall

Psychiatric appointments and wellness checks

Lunch prep or outing prep

An outing—volcano, forest trails, or ocean adventure

10:30AM to 1:30PM

Land project activities and preparations

Experiential learning activities

Student or guide led groups

Team-building activities and initiatives

Lunch and meal clean-up

One hour of exercise: circuits, yoga, or games

2PM to 4PM

Gardening and farm chores

Working on individual projects

Letter writing time

Ceremonies, lessons, or group activities

Farm clean-up, head back to the house

At the House

4PM to 6:30PM

Time for chores, showers, study hall, and student or guide-led group activities

Staff check-ins and goal check-in

Group dinner and community meeting time

Evening medication distribution, meal clean up

Time for performances, games, stories, music, and theme-based discussions

Transition ceremonies, welcoming ceremonies, and appreciation ceremonies

Winding Down

6:30PM to 8PM

Circle down. Evening meditation and stretching, music, sensory activity, emotional check-in

Nightly self care routine

Bunk time: Reading, journaling, regulating activities

Lights out

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.

-Bob D