Wyoming
Trauma Specific Care and Wyoming Behavioral Institute
Wyoming Behavioral Institute began an internal initiative in 2024 to create a trauma specific environment of care, where people want to work, and people experiencing mental health crisis want to pursue recovery. All staff, including administrators and physicians, were trained to understand trauma specific care. New employees are taught to use trauma informed methods before interacting with other staff and patients. Benchmarks that indicate care is trauma specific include lower employee turnover rates, higher patient satisfaction scores, and zero utilization of hands on intervention.
WBI’s nursing team is so impressed by the ways trauma informed care has changed the way patients and staff interact that they are taking their learning experience into the community. Nursing Supervisor Mitch Schoenwolf, Staff Development Facilitator Lance Richardson, and Pathways Program Supervisor Shannon Heaton believe that being trauma informed in human interactions in all settings may be one key to reducing the community’s high rate of suicide. In 2024, 32 people died by suicide in Natrona County, and nine of the were younger than 30.¹ Statewide, between 2010 and 2020, 40 young people ages 10 to 24 died by suicide, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.²
“It’s a pandemic,” Mitch said recently when presenting trauma informed strategies in Casper. He quoted a World Heath Organization statistic at 700,000 people die annually worldwide³ and said that equates to a suicide death somewhere every 45 seconds. “We came together around the world to help each other through the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mitch said. “For example, auto manufacturers built medical equipment, and personal protective equipment was gathered and distributed to keep healthcare workers safe. Why aren’t we treating suicide the same way? What are we doing to stop the suicide pandemic?”
Mitch, Lance and Shannon are helping patients, staff, and now the community understand that people learn to use maladaptive behaviors like threats of violence, acts of violence, verbal aggression, and self-harming as the means to getting their needs met – and specifically, comfort. Trauma informed responses to behaviors can create a shift in the dynamic between adults and youth and reduce or eliminate power struggles. When the power struggle ends, the healing begins, they report.
WBI is also a partner in Project AWARE, a Wyoming Department of Education-led initiative to increase access to mental health and substance abuse services for school-aged youth. Another Project AWARE goal is to develop student stills that will promote resilience, prosocial behaviors and prevent youth violence through outreach, engagement, and training. In Sweetwater County School Districts, trauma-informed support services are offered by WBI in collaboration with the districts to increase student awareness of mental health and wellness while decreasing stigma and stigmatized language. The partners work to increase student resilience through skill building while teaching self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, social awareness and responsible decision making.⁴
¹ https://www.natronacounty-wy.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9629/Suicide-Report-2024
² https://health.wyo.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Adolescent-Suicide_2021.pdf
³ https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240026643
⁴ https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/scsd2-provides-trauma-informed-support-services-for-students/article_a4e9e90c-5270-11ee-bbda-f333604d5f74.html
WBI is offering community education in trauma-informed interactions for any adult working with youth, including law enforcement officers, teachers, school support staff, parents, and teen programs. For more information about free, two-hour trauma informed education presentations, please call Emily Genoff, Director of Business Development, 307-472-2201, or email Emily.quarterman-genoff@uhsinc.com.
Inpatient and outpatient mental health services are offered by WBI for children, teens and adults. Located in Casper, WBI has specialized in helping people experiencing mental health crises for more than 25 years. No cost, confidential level of care assessments, and information about programs and services are available by calling 800-457-9312. More information about treatment options can also be found online at www.wbihelp.com.
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Wyoming
(PHOTOS) Casper Holistic Expo packs the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds
CASPER, Wyo. — There was magic, or something like it, in the air on Saturday as the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds presented the 2026 Casper Holistic Expo, Casper’s longest running holistic expo and a hallmark of the beginning of spring in Natrona County.
Countless vendors from Casper and beyond gathered with their goodies to present them to eager customers searching for something a little different.
The holistic expo featured crystal and metaphysical shops, tattoo and body piercing studios, henna and glitter tattoo studios, holistic shops, tarot readings, fortune tellers, magic and so much more. There was truly something for everyone, and Christina Kuhn, the lead organizer, said that nobody who came to the expo would leave disappointed.
“This actually started over 20 years ago,” Kuhn said. “I’ve been doing it for years. My mom did it for seven years before me. And Judy Ick, who actually does our photography, she did it before that. So it’s been a very long, very longstanding and growing event.”
Kuhn said that the Holistic Expo has grown exponentially over the years.
“When Judy passed it down to mom, there were 38 booths,” she said. “After mom passed it down to me, there were 78. Now I think we’re up to, like, 98.”
The booths are as eclectic as the people who run them. There’s magic, mysticism and moonlight; storytellers and palm readers; conversationalists and creators. There are CBD products, organic teas, energy testing, and even fudge.
“Some of this is kind of a special niche,” Kuhn shared, “but some of it is not. We’ve got a chiropractor. We’ve got people that are working with healing modalities. Some of it’s spiritual stuff. We’ve got crafts, too.”
There’s a wide variety of vendors and customers as the Holistic Expo, and Kuhn said she wouldn’t want it any other way. The most important thing they do, Kuhn said, is donate to local nonprofits.
“People can either pay the $5 door fee — anybody that’s 13 or over — or they can donate five nonperishable goods,” Kuhn said. “We started donating that to poverty resistance, and then we did City Park Church. This year we’re donating to the Wyoming Food for Thought Project.”
Kuhn said this was just a simple way to give back to the community, a community she and her business have been a part of for years. Kuhn owns a store in downtown Casper called A Place for Passion, and the Holistic Expo also allows her to bring some merch from her store and put in on display with a variety of other items. It’s a fun way to spend a weekend, she said, and she’s proud to be a part of it.
“Good lord, I’ve been doing this for a long time,” she said. “I helped my mom with it for ages and she wanted somebody that would carry on and keep expanding and doing well with it. Before I was helping run the show and managing it, I was a booth. I started sharing a booth with my mom because I only had a few things and I wasn’t sure how well they’d sell. But then it just expanded and took off, and now here I am.”
Kuhn said it means a lot that she’s able to continue the Holistic Expo for her mother.
“It’s nice to keep expanding something, especially something that contributes so much to the community,” she said. “There are so many people that come out and enjoy everything that they get here. And it’s a big opportunity for them to connect with others, to connect with people that have stuff they want to offer them.”
That, Kuhn said, is her favorite part of the Holistic Expo — meeting people.
“It’s just nice connecting with people and helping them out in any way that you can,” she said. “Everybody’s got their own knowledge, gifts, products that they’re putting out — services, whatever it is. So being able to share that with others is awesome. You’ve got to come check it out. It’s an awesome experience. There’s a little something for everyone.”
The Casper Holistic Expo is happening Saturday until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Industrial Building at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds.
Photos from the Holistic Expo can be seen below:
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Wyoming
Wyoming teen discovers rare and ancient megalodon shark tooth off Florida coast
A 6-inch megalodon shark tooth was found by a Wyoming teen during a dive trip off Manasota Key, Florida earlier this week.
Sixteen-year-old Aiden Andrews and his father Brian were on a guided dive with Fossil Junkies, a local fossil-hunting tour company.
Captain John Kreatsoulas told FOX 13 Tampa Bay reporter Kimberly Kuizon that while finding small megalodon teeth isn’t uncommon, finding one that size is quite rare.
Video captured the moments when Aiden and his father celebrated underwater after making the remarkable discovery.
Popularized by Hollywood monster movies, the Carcharocles megalodon was the largest shark to have ever lived, according to the Smithsonian Institution.
Scientists believe the largest megalodon reached up to 60 feet in length and weighed up to 50 tons.
And as Andrews can attest — they possessed teeth the size of a human hand.
According to the Smithsonian, megalodon lived between 23 and 3.6 million years ago across all of Earth’s oceans.
Wyoming
Outdoor Fun Awaits At Local Parks With Izaak Walton League’s Hiking Series From April To September
Hiking can be an activity that you enjoy doing on your own, but sometimes you need a little extra inspiration, and a group hike is exactly what you need. If you’re looking for a group to explore the outdoors with, the Charles E. Piersall chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America hiking group may be what you’re looking for.
The mission of the IWLA:
To engage the community in the conservation, restoration, and promotion of environmental protection, we focus on the sustainable use and enjoyment of our natural resources, including soil, air, woods, waters, and wildlife. This commitment is essential for a sustainable future, and activities like hiking help foster a connection with nature
The group is open to all ages, and even your pup can join in on the fun if they’re on a leash. There is a series of hikes planned beginning on April 1. Nope, this isn’t a prank; it is a real chance to meet other outdoor lovers and take in some of the area’s best hiking trails. The hikes are scheduled on the odd Wednesdays from April to September, weather permitting.
Join us to connect with others who appreciate the beauty of outdoor hiking and environmental advocacy hiking. Remember to bring drinking water, snacks, good walking shoes or boots, and a jacket. A walking stick or hiking poles can also be helpful.
Here are the hikes they have planned for this summer.
April 2026
- Wednesday, April 1, 6 pm, Morad Park to Paradise Valley:
- Wednesday, April 15, 6 pm, Edness K. Wilkins State Park:
- Wednesday, April 29, 6 pm, Tate Pumphouse, Golf Course loop:
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
- Wednesday, July 1, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, North Face:
- Wednesday, July 15, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, Beaver Ponds:
- Wednesday, July 29, 6 pm, Casper Mountain, Biathlon:
August 2026
September 2026
16 Types Of Hikes Explained
7 Trails To Hike In Central Wyoming
There’s no doubt about it, the entire state of Wyoming is covered in amazing hiking trails. If you’re visiting central Wyoming here are 7 trails that you should check out. I’ve organized them from easier to harder, ending with Laramie Peak.
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