How a County Social Service Agency Strengthened the Skills of Its Staff to Increase Resilience

This is the second case study I will share, illustrating Wildewood Learning’s partnerships with schools and organizations that serve families and children, with a focus on trauma-informed, strength-based interventions. The first case study was with a school district in northwestern Minnesota. You can read about it here. 

The social services agency, located in a small county in northwestern Minnesota, took a proactive approach to staff development. The staff, comprising approximately 20 people, provided and implemented social service programs for the 4,000 residents in the county. Wildewood Learning provided training to the staff over the course of 9 months through three targeted training sessions.

Challenge

The staff members were often disconnected in their work relationships. It was the fall of 2022, and some staff members had not yet returned to the office, while others were on a rotating schedule. There was a strong need to bring everyone together in the agency. Additionally, staff struggled to understand client needs and behaviors. However, through the training, they gained a more compassionate lens in understanding the effects of trauma, leading to a significant shift in their approach.

Solution

In a collaborative effort between Rural Minnesota CEP (Concentrated Employment Program) and the local social services agency, they hired Wildewood Learning (Kathryn Magnusson) to facilitate a Strengths in Action training using the Clifton StrengthsFinder Assessment with CEP and County staff. The training session enabled the staff to come together and create a shared experience, learning about one another’s strengths. 

The positive results led to two additional trainings: one on Trauma-Sensitive Communities, so that all staff, from reception personnel to the director, had a basic understanding of trauma, its effects, and how to create resilience. 

The third training was on the topic of Increasing Optimism. The goal of this training session was to create a positive atmosphere within the workplace, which would, in turn, enhance relationships with colleagues and clients. 

Results

After the three sessions, I sat down with the director to ask how the training had affected the staff.

  • Increased staff positivity and energy: The director noted that the training provided a much-needed “shot of positivity,” helping staff shift their mindset at work. The agency’s commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture was evident in the staff’s increased energy and improved outlook, which were seen as meaningful wins in maintaining a healthier workplace culture.
  • Improved team cohesion: She emphasized the importance of bringing her staff together. By participating in activities as a group, staff had the opportunity to collaborate, connect across departments, and “rub elbows with each other.” The sessions strengthened relationships and reduced feelings of isolation between teams.
  • Shared learning experience: Rather than sending one or two staff to outside trainings, the agency found greater benefit in having all staff learn together. The director observed that when “we’re all in the same room, listening to the same person,” the training messages carried further and were more consistent across the organization.
  • Support for leadership development: The director also highlighted her own growth, noting that bringing training in-house aligned with her annual leadership goals. Hosting ongoing staff development was seen not only as beneficial for the team but also as part of building her capacity as an agency leader.

“These trainings have given my staff the positivity and energy they need to face tough work. When we’re all in the same room, learning together, it builds stronger connections and helps us support each other. Bringing this training in-house has been one of the best ways to invest in my team’s well-being and growth.” 

Amy Ballard, Director, Lake of the Woods Social Services

The work done in collaboration with Wildewood Learning supports the social service director in her goals of creating a positive workplace atmosphere, acknowledging the strengths of the staff, and also creating empathy for clients and colleagues. 

Wildewood Learning offers customized professional development, consulting, and tools to support workplaces in becoming trauma-informed and strength-based places where people thrive. Let’s connect to discuss how we can support your staff, strengthen relationships, and help you achieve your leadership goals for your organization. Connect with Wildewood Learning today!

There is No Magic Wand

There is a hard truth in life – There is No Magic Wand. 

However, humans are looking for the easy way out, the magic wand. You may look for what will make you feel better: the piece of cake, avoiding the workout, not taking the time to sit in silence, or keeping scrolling.

There is no single piece of advice or information I share on my blog that will improve your wellbeing; that is why I share many ways to enhance your wellness. 

This past month, I joined a weight loss group. I joined the group for several reasons, mostly to feel better about my body, increase my muscle mass, and potentially lose some weight. I also wanted accountability since I had been losing weight but had plateaued. I needed some help.

I am in week 2 of the program, and it’s not easy. In fact, it is very challenging. Then last week, my weight went in the wrong direction—UGGH!! I calmed myself down and reached out to my coach to ask about the increase. She gave me several valid reasons why my weight would have gone up, and none of them had to do with me not following the program. 

Here is the change in me!! 

  1. I calmed myself down and found a place within myself where I didn’t feel emotionally triggered by the number I saw on the scale.
  2. I reached out for help.
  3. I didn’t give up.

In the past, the number on the scale would have triggered me not to weigh myself for months. Then, I would just give up and tell myself that it’s my genetic (I have a disposition to a particular body type) or that no matter what I do, I can’t lose the pounds. 

I attribute my perseverance and changed reactions to my well-being practices. The short routine, mindsets, and tools I establish in the mornings set my mind in the “right” place. You can hear me talk about my morning routine here. 

Improving our well-being is hard work. Researchers have found an adaptation called hedonic adaptation in humans. This adaptation is the tendency to return to a set point after emotional changes. Because of this adaptation, our perception of happiness or sadness won’t last long. 

This adaptation is good because it lets us know that when a sad event happens, the sadness will not last forever. However, this is also why when you buy that new car you have been saving for, and you feel joy, the joy doesn’t last forever. It wears off, and we are on to the next emotional high without awareness of our feelings. 

Researchers have noticed that we go back to the emotional set point much more quickly after a positive event than after major events that are uncomfortable and cause loss, like losing a loved one or a job. 

To raise our emotional set point, we need to actively take care of ourselves. We need to find the tools, routines, and mindsets that help us ride and navigate the waves of change in our lives. These well-being practices are a powerful act of self-care that empowers us to face life’s challenges. 

Try this:

  1. What is one wellbeing tool, mindset, or routine you would like to practice this week? Pick something small, like watching a sunrise in silence, going for a 10-minute walk outside, or intentionally focusing on a positive event at the end of the day.
  2. When will you do this action? Set a reminder or put it in your calendar.
  3. Each time you do your chosen action, congratulate yourself with a pat on the back or a mental “way to go!”

When you start to practice wellbeing for yourself, there will be ups and downs. Remember that there is no magic wand for change; however, you are the magic to create change, starting with yourself.

The High Cost of Trauma

“Trauma: I don’t have any trauma in my life! I came from a good family with supportive parents, had a roof over my head, and food on the table. My life is great! So why do I need to be aware of the effects of trauma on me?”

These are the thoughts I had before learning about the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Secondary Traumatic Stress on a person. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. In childhood, I did have supportive parents, a roof over my head, and food on the table. However, as a child, my weight was a great source of bullying, which led me down the road of starting to diet in 8th grade, leading to my struggles with body image.  

In my adult life, my husband and I adopted children from foster care. We had a big house and lots of love in our hearts to open our home to a sibling group. This experience is how I learned about secondary traumatic stress. 

Secondary traumatic stress is a psychological condition when a person is exposed to the traumatic experiences of another person. Our children had experienced multiple losses and chronic stress in their short lives. Those past losses and stressors showed up in challenging behaviors I didn’t understand, creating a lot of stress for my husband and me. 

My journey has opened my eyes to the pervasive nature of trauma.

The trauma of the past doesn’t leave our systems; it doesn’t magically disappear. Without deeper examination and taking responsibility for our well-being, our trauma shows up in so many different ways, especially in workplaces that don’t feel psychologically safe. 

The Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practices has estimated that the cost of an unsafe workplace can reduce productivity by up to 20%, and replacing an employee who leaves the organization can cost up to $25,000 to that organization. In recent years, I have known many veteran educators and non-profit staff who have left an organization or school due to a toxic workplace. Think of the years of experience, professional development, and expertise an organization puts into that person walking out the door.  

Plus, there are the healthcare impacts of an unsafe workplace culture. More sick days are taken, higher levels of burnout, and more significant claims to health insurance. These financial and healthcare implications should serve as a wake-up call to the importance of addressing trauma in the workplace.

Did you know:

70% of adults have experienced at least one traumatic event

20% have four or more ACEs and

5% have been diagnosed with PTSD or Complex PTSD

I can go on with the statistics; however, I think you get the picture. People come with trauma and chronic stress from their lives in to the workplace. That trauma and stress can’t just be left at the door. When the workplace culture feels unsafe to them, they react. 

What might the reactions look like? Here are a few indicators,

  • Overly sensitive to feedback
  • Regularly calling in sick
  • Working extremely long hours that leads to burnout
  • Hard time making decisions
  • Complaining about everything

What can you do to create a workplace that feels safe?

  • Awareness is the first step. Leadership needs to acknowledge the losses through the impact of trauma, chronic stress, and unsafe workplace culture.
  • Create a safe environment where employees feel heard and seen through the organizations’ routines, protocols, and policies.
  • Connection and communication is key throughout the organization. 
  • Leaders are role models for their staff in the need for well-being practices. These practices can shift a situation’s energy from shame and blame to curiosity and understanding.
  • Shifting the conversation from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What’s happened to you?” to “What’s right with you?” 

These shifts in the workplace must be accompanied by personal responsibility. When each individual in the system recognizes their role and commits to growing in self-awareness, alongside the changes from leadership, the workplace can transform from a toxic environment to one of purpose and enjoyment. 
Check out the other resources on the Wildewood Learning blog to grow your knowledge in trauma-informed resiliency practices for organizations and schools.