Modern Day Rite of Passage
The Quest Project-Modern Day Rite of Passage is a 10-week, intensive group therapy program for boys that breaks down symptoms to reveal root issues. The program equips boys with real-life tools to process emotions, break free of teenage depression, relate to others, forgive the past, take responsibility, and essentially... to become men.
We deliver immediate hope. We steward families through one of the toughest times in a boy’s life. When parents can’t break through on their own, when the status quo fails, when real-life circumstances rock you to the core, The Quest Project offers hope in a tangible, researched, and proven form. With more than 2,000 boys and families to testify to its efficacy, The Quest Project gives an uncertain future certainty.
Format
- Boys attend 10 group sessions once a week for 90-minutes.
- Separate, age-appropriate groups ensure that boys can relate to each other as peers.
- Parents attend five group meetings at critical points during the program.
- The Graduation Ceremony is the conclusion of The Quest Project, the opportunity for each boy to stand and say, “As a man among men, this is who I am now.”
Growth Objectives
- Earning and establishing trust as a group
- Uncovering past hurts to discover root wounds
- Processing anger
- Conflict resolution
- Identifying individual strengths--their unique gifts
- Exploring forgiveness in relationships
- Establishing a true purpose and mission for the future
Psychological Theory Behind the Project
The Quest Project was built upon the theories of psychologists Erik Erikson and Urie Bronfenbrenner. After studying foundational work Clayton Lessor, PhD, LPC began to contextualize their approaches into a usable, replicable process for adolescent boys in today’s modern world.
- Psychosocial Development Theory: This is the widely accepted theory which states that everyone has his or her own unique identity that is made up of various personality traits, which are either innate or acquired. Erikson is known for organizing human development, from infancy into adulthood, into the various social events and crises that shape and affect our personalities. He first theorized that the events of childhood set the stage for our identities as adults.
- Bioecological Systems Theory: This theory identifies the environmental systems with which we interact, and their impact on character development. Bioecological Theory hypothesizes that each system within which a person exists will contain roles, norms, and rules that shape psychological development. Used in context, Bronfenbrenner's theory suggests that a family living in the inner-city will face different challenges from a family that lives in a gated-community, and vice-versa. These challenges prepare us for adulthood, and each lends a different set of “emotional tools” for the future.
Results
It’s an amazing thing to hear a mom say she’s reconnected with her son, or see a young man acknowledge his newfound goals for the future. But when it comes to impact, we have the numbers to back up our words. We measure results using a widely-credentialed and quantifiable rating system called the Behavioral Evaluation Scale (BES-III). Using this system, The Quest Project has proven effectiveness in the following areas:
