The Mindset Shift That Changes Prevention Outcomes

In this conversation, Dave Closson sits down with Sara Thompson (Director of Training & Communications at The Montana Institute) to unpack the mindset shift that changes prevention outcomes: moving from problem-saturated narratives to a “spirit first” approach that uncovers and grows what’s already going right.

They dig into Positive Community Norms (PCN) and the Science of the Positive, why misperceptions of the “norm” drive behavior, and how coalitions can start making practical shifts immediately, even before they have perfect data.

In this episode, you’ll learn

• Why “raising awareness of the problem” can unintentionally amplify fear and misperceptions
• What “Spirit First” means, and how it changes the way you engage a community
• How proximal norms (your immediate circle) shape what you think is “normal”
• A simple tabling-event question that instantly shifts the narrative toward strengths
• Where coalitions can start when data is limited (and how to build trust for better data later)
• How to measure whether a PCN campaign is working (awareness → perception → behavior)

Resources mentioned

• The Montana Institute