Pacific Quest

06/16/2026

"Our Kids Are in Therapy More Than Ever. So Why Are So Many Still Struggling?"

It's a question many parents, educators, coaches, and mental health professionals are asking right now.

More young people are accessing therapy than ever before, yet rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and emotional distress continue to rise. Kellyn explores an important reality: therapy alone isn't always enough.

Healing happens within relationships, community, meaningful experiences, healthy challenges, and opportunities to develop confidence and resilience. Mental health isn't built in a single session each week—it's shaped by the environments where young people live, learn, connect, and grow.

At Pacific Quest, we see this every day. Lasting change often happens when clinical care is paired with real-world practice, supportive relationships, and opportunities to reconnect with purpose.

We invite you to read Kellyn's thoughtful perspective and join the conversation.

https://goodmenproject.com/mental-health-awareness/our-kids-are-in-therapy-more-than-ever-so-why-are-so-many-still-struggling/

What are you seeing in your work, family, or community? Why do you think so many young people continue to struggle despite greater access to mental health support?

-- By many measures, American teenagers are receiving more mental health support than at any point in recent history. More adolescents are in therapy, and

06/13/2026

Today, Pacific Quest was honored to participate in the 2nd Annual Hawaiʻi National Guard Family Fun & Resource Fair at Keaukaha Military Reservation.

We had the opportunity to connect with service members, military families, community partners, and local organizations who are all working toward a common goal: strengthening the well-being of individuals and families across Hawaiʻi.

Mahalo to the Hawaiʻi National Guard for hosting such a meaningful event and to everyone who stopped by our table to learn more about Pacific Quest and the work we do supporting adolescents, young adults, and families.

We are grateful to be part of the Big Island community and look forward to continuing these important conversations.

🌺🌱

06/12/2026

What if wellness wasn’t just one thing…but everything working together?

True healing happens when mind and body are aligned. It’s a system of interconnected habits that support overall health.

At Pacific Quest, we emphasize nutrition, sleep, movement, and the mind-body
connection as an essential component of healing. By addressing these areas together, we
help students build a stronger, more balanced foundation for lasting wellbeing.
Explore how PQ’s wellness program fits within our integrative approach to healing:
https://pacificquest.org/medical-wellness-program/

Young Adults Our Integrated Health and Medical Wellness Program Pacific Quest’s focus on whole-person wellness addresses the clinical and medical complexity of each individual. Specifically, our fully integrated clinical and medical team teaches students to focus on five pillars of wellness—nutr...

06/05/2026

What if teens are capable of more than they believe?

Adolescence can be a challenging and formative time, especially when anxiety,
depression or low self-esteem are present.

Our strengths-based approach helps teens recognize their capabilities while building
emotional regulation, resilience, and confidence.

Through guided experiences and clinical support, they begin to see themselves – and
their potential – in a new light.

Learn more about our Adolescent Program at the links in our bio.

05/27/2026

Sometimes the most meaningful moments in healing are the quiet ones.

Through family intensives, shared experiences, honest conversations, and intentional time together, we work to help rebuild connection, trust, and understanding.

This path is not easy. It asks so much of both parents and students. Vulnerability. Accountability. Patience. Courage.

We continue to be deeply grateful for the families who show up for this work with open hearts, even when it’s hard. Healing happens in relationships, and reunification begins one moment at a time.

05/18/2026

Pacific Quest is looking forward to attending the 2026 IECA Annual Conference in Baltimore next week as IECA celebrates 50 years of advising students and families.

We’re always grateful for the opportunity to connect with educational consultants, therapeutic professionals, and partners from across the country who are doing meaningful work in the lives of adolescents and young adults.

Conferences like IECA create space for important conversations surrounding mental health, family systems, clinical care, experiential education, and the evolving needs of the students we collectively serve.

If you’ll be in Baltimore May 18–20, we’d love to connect.

05/13/2026

What if real change started by treating the whole person, not just the symptoms?
At Pacific Quest, we recognize that too often, young people are defined by diagnoses or
behaviors, rather than understood in full context.

That’s why our approach integrates clinical care, nature-based experiences, and whole-
person's wellness. We help teens and young adults build resilience, develop self-
awareness, and reconnect with a sense of purpose – so they can move forward with
confidence and clarity.

Learn more about Pacific Quest and how we have successfully treated over 3,500
residents: https://pacificquest.org/

05/07/2026

Pacific Quest’s Kellyn Smythe recently joined the ScreenStrong Families Podcast for an important conversation surrounding adolescent screen addiction, technology dependency, and what families are navigating in today’s digital world.

In Episode 262, What Happens When You Take Your Teen’s Phone Away: Understanding Screen Addiction & Withdrawal, Kellyn and host Mandee Hamann explore why excessive screen use often functions as much more than “too much screen time,” and how it can begin impacting emotional regulation, identity development, resilience, motivation, and connection.

The conversation also dives into one of the hardest moments many parents face: removing devices and navigating the emotional fallout that can follow. Together, they discuss what screen withdrawal can actually look like in adolescents, why boredom and discomfort matter developmentally, and how families can begin rebuilding healthier patterns of connection.

Topics include:
• Screen addiction and process addiction
• Social media, gaming, and dopamine-driven behaviors
• Emotional regulation and nervous system impacts
• What withdrawal from screens can look like
• Parenting through resistance and conflict
• Rebuilding connection beyond devices

A thoughtful and timely conversation for parents, clinicians, educators, and anyone supporting teens and young adults.

Listen now at ScreenStrong.org or at the link in our bio

04/29/2026

Feeling stuck isn’t the end. In fact, it can actually be the starting point.
For young adults feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain about their next step, we provide space for a meaningful reset.

Our program supports the transition into independence by focusing on real-life skills, accountability, and self-direction. With structure and support, residents build confidence, develop clarity, and take ownership of their path forward.

Explore our Young Adults program: https://pacificquest.org/young-adults/

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. Program....

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day! Today we honor the planet that nurtures us and reminds us that healing isn’t just within us – it’s all around us. At Pacific Quest, the Earth isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a living partner in growth, renewal, and transformation.

Our integrative residential program blends clinical care with nature-based experiences and outdoor learning, helping young people rediscover resilience through real connection with land, movement, and community.

Let’s honor Earth Day by stepping outside, breathing deeply, and remembering that our well-being and the health of our planet grow from the same roots.