Sources of Strength program growing in North Platte Valley

SARATOGA — North Platte Sources of Strength is one of the Valley’s newest groups hosting events and more importantly providing tools, curriculum and mental health promotion to the community. 

"Sources of Strength is a radically strength based upstream suicide prevention program,” according to local trainer Rachel Swanson, “focused on protective factors or sources of strength that people can lean into when they are having a hard time.” 

This is Swanson’s second attempt in three years at getting a Sources of Strength group off the ground in the Platte Valley. 

She admitted to being deflated after the first try but was amazed by the community response this summer. 

“I’ve been blown away,” Swanson said. “There’s been a lot of community support. We have 11 Sources of Strength businesses. We were able to train 30 peer leaders and 10 adult advisors, and the barn dance seemed like a great success.” 

Setting up in the Platte 

After a close teenage family member took their own life, Swanson made a promise to try to make the world a better place. 

“When I found Sources of Strength,” she said, “I thought this really feels like the thing that can help do that.” 

Something felt right for Swanson after attending trainings in Laramie and Riverton. 

“There were good vibes about all of it,” she said. “‘It’s ok to not be ok’ or ‘asking for help is a strength’ and all these different things felt more than just positive. This is a really great and evidence-based program.”

In her first attempt, Swanson tried to implement the group through local schools. In the second attempt, she went back to training and became locally certified to help save money and focus on the community as a whole. 

“The Wyoming Department of Health paid $2,500 for my training,” she said, “and Carbon County Prevention Network paid for my travel and hotels throughout the process.” 

After earning her certification, Swanson pulled together and trained a group of adult advisors. 

“In July,” she said, “I sent out 75 peer invitations to kids to be peer leaders. My mind was like ‘if i can get five or 10 kids to show up, I’d be super happy.’ Thirty kids showed up in the middle of summer, gave me six hours of their time and enjoyed themselves. I was blown away for sure.” 

What are Sources of Strength? 

The group’s logo is a wheel with eight sections featuring sources of strength folks can lean on in difficult times: mental health, family support, positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, generosity, spirituality and physical health. 

"I would really love to see a cultural shift," Swanson said, “one where we can build resiliency and spread messages of hope, help and strength.” 

“The possibilities are endless” 

Swanson’s favorite part about Sources of Strength has been getting the community together, she said. 

“Bringing people together,” she said, “like the barn dance. It was awesome to see toddlers all the way to our senior citizens having fun. We weren’t serving alcohol. There was no tobacco. For our kids to see that we can go out and have a lot of fun without partaking is huge. Part of that is shifting cultures to help normalize that you don't have to drink to have fun.” 

The group is a peer-led program and will be meeting twice a month to decide what to do next, Swanson said. 

“Campaigns on social media, a movie night, an event in the park,” she named as some of the possibilities. “They’ve been talking about wanting to do a suicide awareness walk. The possibilities are endless.” 

This story was published on August 29, 2025.