The Mindset Shift That Changes Prevention Outcomes
If you’ve ever felt like prevention work gets stuck in problem-saturated messaging, you’re not alone.
In this episode of the Prevention Leaders Podcast, I’m joined by Sara Thompson, Director of Training & Communications at The Montana Institute, to unpack a mindset shift that can change prevention outcomes: moving from “what’s wrong” to uncovering and growing “what’s strong.”
Sara has spent years working alongside coalitions and communities using Positive Community Norms (PCN) and the Science of the Positive — approaches that don’t ignore the hard realities we’re facing, but refuse to let the problem be the whole story.
The tension we all feel: “But we have to raise awareness!”
One of the most common pushbacks Sara hears (and one I’ve run into plenty of times) is this:
If we stop talking about the problem, won’t people stop taking it seriously?
The insight Sara brings is powerful: when fear goes up, misperceptions go up.
If the loudest story in a community is “everybody is doing it,” people start to believe it, even when the data says otherwise. And when people believe a harmful behavior is “normal,” they’re more likely to follow it.
That’s why PCN work starts by uncovering the true norms and helping the community see them clearly.
The data reframe that changes everything
A simple example from the conversation:
If a survey says 13% of ninth graders vaped in the last month, the usual narrative becomes “vaping is exploding.”
But the other (often ignored) truth is that 87% did not.
PCN doesn’t pretend 13% is acceptable. It just asks a different question:
What can we learn from the majority who are already making the healthier choice — and how do we grow that?
Start where you are (even if your data isn’t perfect)
Not every coalition has fresh youth survey data ready to go.
Sara shares practical, “start tomorrow” steps, like shifting community conversations to include hope alongside concern, and building trust for better data collection over time.
One of my favorite tactical examples is the “tabling event” shift:
Instead of leading with “here’s the problem,” ask:
What do you love about our town?
That one question changes the tone, the story, and the energy, and it gives you real language you can reflect back to your community.
How do you prove it’s working?
If you’re thinking like a grant writer or funder (because we all have to), Sara breaks evaluation down into a clear, practical sequence:
Campaign awareness: Did people see/hear the message?
Perception shift: Are misperceptions correcting?
Behavior/attitude shift: Are outcomes changing over time?
It’s a simple framework, but it’s one that can keep your team aligned and help you tell a stronger story about impact.
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