Choosing Trauma-Informed Prevention That Works

A recent regional story about a high-school “mock crash”—a staged DUI collision with blood, sirens, and ambulances—took me back to practices many communities once embraced as prevention. I grew up in the 1980s, and before prom or graduation, there was always a community in the area that staged a “mock crash.” These events are meant to shock teens into safer choices. But today, with what we know about trauma and what the research shows about behavior change, we need to ask: Do mock crashes work—and at what cost?

What the evidence says

Independent reviews of school-based alcohol and impaired-driving programs consistently find that dramatic, one-off events can change feelings for a moment but don’t change behavior over time. A research summary from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission concluded that well-known programs, such as Every 15 Minutes and “Grim Reaper/Mock Crashes,” have not produced significant, long-term outcomes on attitudes or behavior. At best, short-term attitude shifts fade within weeks; crucially, studies rarely show reductions in actual drinking or alcohol-related crashes.

This pattern aligns with broader prevention science: fear- or threat-based campaigns are attention-grabbing, but their effects on actual driving behavior are small or short-lived, and they can be least effective for the very youth who are most likely to take risks. (Traffic Injury Research Foundation)

Why this kind of “prevention” can harm

Being trauma-informed means recognizing that many students and staff carry visible and invisible wounds. As physician Gabor Maté puts it, “Trauma is not what happens to you but what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you.” Graphic simulations risk re-activating those internal wounds—especially for students who’ve lost loved ones in crashes, have family members with DUIs, or who live with chronic stress. 

Best-practice frameworks for trauma-informed schools emphasize avoiding re-traumatization, creating emotional and physical safety, and building regulation and connection. Loud sirens, staged accidents, and EMTs may directly conflict with those principles, potentially compounding distress for vulnerable youth. 

When we know better, we do better

So what should schools and communities do instead? Shift from shock to strengths and connection—approaches that build protective factors, positive norms, and help-seeking.

One model with a strong and growing evidence base is Sources of Strength, which spreads peer-led messages of Hope, Help, and Strength and connects students to trusted adults. A multi-state randomized evaluation showed schoolwide improvements in help-seeking norms, with the most significant gains among students at higher risk. (PMC)

Most compelling, a recent CDC-funded cluster randomized trial found a 29% reduction in new suicide attempts among high-school students in schools implementing Sources of Strength—powerful evidence that positive-norm, connection-based prevention can produce real behavioral outcomes. Both substance (alcohol, cannabis, and drugs) misuse and suicidality are strongly linked to unresolved trauma, emotional dysregulation, and lack of social connection—the very areas addressed by trauma-informed prevention models like Sources of Strength.

We know when youth drink, it’s rarely “just about the alcohol.” It’s often about coping with pain, pressure, or disconnection. Fear-based campaigns and mock crashes don’t heal that pain—but hope, belonging, and connection do.

Research results align with trauma-informed school guidance, emphasizing the importance of building safety and belonging, elevating student voice, and strengthening skills and supports, rather than relying on graphic fear appeals.

A better path forward

If your community is considering a mock crash before prom or homecoming, here are trauma-informed alternatives that honor lived experience and improve outcomes:

  • Peer-led positive norms campaigns (e.g., Sources of Strength “Hope, Help, Strength” messaging) that regularly reinforce help-seeking, safe-ride plans, and looking out for friends.
  • Skill-building sessions (refusal skills, bystander intervention, planning a ride) are integrated into advisory or health classes rather than one-time assemblies. Evidence reviews show life-skills approaches outperform scare tactics.
  • Storytelling with consent and support, centered on resilience and recovery—not graphic details—and accompanied by clear pathways to help during and after the event (school counselors, 988). Trauma-informed toolkits support choice, safety, and connection.

As a certified trainer of Sources of Strength in the state of Minnesota, I help schools and communities replace outdated, potentially harmful practices with trauma-informed, strengths-based prevention that actually moves the needle. If your district wants to talk about ditching mock crashes and building a culture of Hope, Help, and Strength, I’d love to connect.

Are you a school or community in Minnesota interested in implementing Sources of Strength? Click HERE to find out how Kathryn can support your school.

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!

Understanding N.E.A.R. Science: How Trauma and Toxic Stress Affects You and Your Team

The county fair is a big highlight of the summer each year. When my children were young, we would attend the fair every day. Being involved in 4-H, sports, and community activities led to much work at the various food stands and booths.

At the county fair, there were a variety of carnival rides. My children looked forward to going on all the different carnival rides, “The Bullet,” “Tilt-a-Whirl,” and “Rocket” were some that I can remember. I would walk through the crowded pathways with my children in tow, the loud music of the carnival rides blasting throughout the area. I stood back and watched which rides each of them chose. My son loved the fast rides that made his stomach go up and down. My other son would favor bumper cars and Ferris wheels. As I stood by “Rocket,” waiting for my son, I would watch other children come off, saying,” Never again” or “Let’s do it again!”

Trauma and its effects on the brain are similar to the response to a carnival ride. We all have traumatic or high-stress experiences in life. Some people come through trauma and stressful times with a response of resilience and growth. Others experience a challenging event and are stuck in the struggle, unable to move beyond it. It can be the same traumatic or high-stress event; however, they have very different reactions.

The human brain, with its complexity, is a fascinating subject to learn about. Understanding how we react to events, our world, and others is a journey of discovery. Past trauma and toxic stress can change how each of us responds to those experiences on our journey of discovery.

Researcher Gabor Mate’ explains that trauma is not the event; it’s what happens inside our body as a result of the event.

As an organization strives to become Trauma-Informed and Resilient, understanding toxic stress and trauma’s effects is a crucial first step. In my previous blog post, I introduced N.E.A.R. Science as a key support for creating a Trauma-Informed, Resilient Workplace. A deep understanding of the N.E.A.R. Science model, Neurobiology, Epigenetics, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and Resilience provides a practical understanding of how trauma and toxic stress can impact you and your staff. 

Let’s break down the N.E.A.R. Science model to see how to use this information in the workplace.

Neurobiology studies the brain and how stress can affect its structure. The brain is critical to understanding humans’ responses to stress and how that works in our bodies. Returning to the carnival ride, some people respond to stressors in life and can handle the stress with the support in place. They know that the world is overall safe. They have the protective factors to be resilient and can “do it again”! Other people will react to the stressors by seeing the world as scary and lonely; they don’t have the protective factors and agency to be resilient and falter in moving forward. They  “never want to do that again!” Each reaction is the person’s experience, and both are valid.

Epigenetics studies how the environment and behaviors can affect how our genetic code is expressed. It helps us better understand people’s varied responses to traumatic and stressful events based on intergenerational trauma. There is ongoing research into epigenetics, and the Harvard Center on the Developing Child is an excellent resource with an infographic that explains epigenetics and how it relates to child development. Reasons for a person’s or a group’s responses to the carnival ride (or other events) may lie in a person’s epigenetics. 

ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) are children’s experiences from birth to age 18. These types of experiences can have long-term negative health implications for adults. The research study included ten specific traumatic events studied in the 1990s through Kaiser Permanente. The results showed that ACEs are common in the population; over 64% of adults said they had experienced at least one event, and nearly 1 in 6 reported four or more. There was a strong correlation between the number of ACEs and adverse health outcomes in the group with four or more ACEs. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has more information about ACEs and their implications on our population. These experiences cause toxic stress in a child, which can cause long-term negative impacts. In the example of the carnival ride, the child comes off the ride and is made fun of for their response to the experience, or there is no one there to comfort them. If this happens repeatedly, the stress builds up and can affect the stress response system in the body.

Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, is nurtured through the protective factors established within our community or individually. Research has shown that these protective factors and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) can mitigate the effects of ACEs. The support of friends and family, community members, and schools can have a positive long-term impact on the health of adults. In the example of the carnival ride, a child steps off and is scared, but another person is there who can comfort them. The child can feel safe about the experience, and the other person cheers them on to try more. This is an example of the protective factor of another person to mitigate the stress of the experience.

We often feel like we are on a carnival ride in our work and life. You or your staff members may react like one of my children to a stressful situation. When we have unresolved issues from childhood, those stressful experiences can bring on reactions that you or staff members may not fully understand the origin. The N.E.A.R. Science model helps your team to move from wondering, “What is wrong with that person?” to “What has happened to that person?” This shift can bring empathy and compassion to our interactions with team members.

The N.E.A.R. Science model provides a comprehensive view of the impact of trauma and ways to build resilience through individual practices and system-wide changes. When we grasp the principles of N.E.A.R. Science, we gain a deeper understanding of the individual and how they navigate life experiences. This understanding allows us to implement practices to help staff better understand and address their needs, leading to a more supportive and effective work environment.

Being Trauma-Informed in Your Organization

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about being your best and that your best will change from moment to moment, day to day, and year to year. As humans, we each have our unique personalities and characteristics. We don’t need to fix ourselves; we need to learn and practice skills that allow us to be who we are.

Over the past year, we’ve witnessed a significant departure of staff from the helping professions. In a recent meeting with social service agencies, a leader reported a staggering 60% vacancy rate. Even in schools, we’ve seen teachers leaving their positions mid-year due to stress and burnout. This is a pressing issue that demands our immediate attention. 

Practicing well-being skills can be the individual’s responsibility and supported by organizational values and goals. An organization that understands the effects of trauma and stress on people and promotes well-being and self-care activities for the staff yet makes unrealistic demands and expectations for productivity are not walking the talk. Traumatic events and toxic stress are the contributors to burnout. According to research on trauma, 90% of adults experience a traumatic event at least once in their lives. Trauma can be any perceived harm with adverse effects on one’s functioning or well-being (SAMSHA).

What is a Trauma-Informed Organization?

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a trauma-informed organization strives to meet four criteria:

  1. Realize the widespread impact of trauma
  2. Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma
  3. Responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into practice and 
  4. Actively resists retraumatization.

Implementing the 4R framework can be a transformative, multi-year journey for any organization or school. This approach, which includes strategic planning, training, coaching, and collaboration among leadership and staff, has the potential to significantly improve the well-being and resilience of your workplace. 

What can organizations do to support a Trauma-Informed, Resilient workplace?

  1. Understand how trauma and toxic stress can affect yourself and your staff. Everyone in leadership must deeply understand the N.E.A.R. Science model, Neurobiology, Epigenetics, Adverse Childhood Expereinces (ACEs), and Resilience to put in place the protective factors needed for staff.
  1. Review the policies in place and identify changes that need to be made that align with the 4R’s framework. 
  1. Create safety: physical and emotional safety is one of the key principles of a trauma-informed, resilient workplace. Establish safety by promoting a “culture of wellness” that moves an organization from burnout to resilience. This culture of wellness can be fostered through regular check-ins, open communication, and providing resources for self-care.
  1. Skills development to build staff resources and resilience. These can include emotional intelligence training, communication workshops, and wellness practices. These skills allow us to understand and gain insight into others and ourselves.

These four points are a starting point to help leaders set the tone for the organization’s culture and develop a path to supporting everyone within it.

Change takes time; however, interventions from the organizational level have the highest impact and require thoughtful planning. This is a real paradigm shift. It is changing the way organizations or schools support families, children, and youth to prevent the exit of highly qualified professionals affected by burnout.

Leadership commitment is crucial on the path to a trauma-informed, resilient organization or school. This commitment not only fosters a supportive workplace for staff but also paves the way for the growth and well-being of the clients we serve. It’s a mission-driven responsibility that we, as leaders in the helping profession, must uphold. 

If you are looking for a place to start on the path to a Trauma-Informed, Resilient organization or school, please reach out to see how we can collaborate on the journey.