The EMU Files

02/02/2026

This week's research analysis

A case study of reversing attribution from danger to optimism

https://open.substack.com/pub/emugraham/p/a-shift-in-narratives-from-attachment?r=61vd6l&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

28/01/2026

Two simple models for understanding teen brain function during and returning from crisis

They are so useful I made my own brain toy for them

Simple explanations of brain function and distress in teens

26/01/2026

The broad brush strokes of what I learned from my review of the complex trauma literature

Top tip; talk is overrated, and any decent and kind person can provide healing opportunities.

26/01/2026

What do young Queenslanders need?

The Office for Youth asked, and reported their answers without interpreting through adult attitudes

Policy, community, school, and program leaders should read this. There are some suggestions that are not well supported in current services

https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/663210/young-queenslanders-sentiment-report.pdf

09/01/2026

Positive memories of childhood reduce memories of adversity. A research finding analysed in this link

🤔 Does forgetting mean the person is vulnerable as an adult?

😠 Would bad people use this to gaslight children into forgetting?

🧡 Good people can reduce the suffering of adults by creating happiness for children/teens

An EMU Files weekly research analysis: 9 Jan 26

08/01/2026

The behaviour is not the problem; it is a solution to a deeper problem

The Problem is in the Cause of Behaviour

06/01/2026

I have never understood why people think military boot camp is useful in correcting teen behaviour.

Military basic training prepares people to endure hardship, obey commands, and to dehumanise our potential enemies.

While essential in military service, is that what we want in an engaged citizen? Tough, obedient, uncaring? Boot camp trains people for war. We don’t put veterans through boot camp to return them to civilian life. Good training, in the wrong direction.

The change occurred when I had children.

I had already completed Teachers College (English and History!) but I didn’t like classrooms, so opted for professional bushwalking, with a rifle, and 30 soldiers following me out of curiosity.

Children do not respond well to toughness, expectations of obedience, and yet thrive with care. Luckily, my wife has a heart big enough for me to hide behind, and I watched her raise our children, always thinking about my military experience and teacher education

Something was not right.

What happened? The full post is free on SubStack

And How to Avoid that Happening

16/09/2025

New publication!

In the experiential outdoor sector, differing beliefs about complex trauma and causes of harm can result in markedly different approaches to outdoor leadership practices. This paper examines the conflict between coercive and humanist approaches, and how these lead to conflicting approaches to coerci...

03/02/2025

The Youth Flourish Outdoors Ltd Outdoor therapies summit brought together govt policy writers and many of Qld's leading outdoor therapies academics

The report is the outcome of the consultation between stakeholders, and can be accessed here: https://www.youthflourish.org/summit

04/11/2024

Complex trauma informed pedagogy

Stanley River Environmental Education Centre led by Principal Andrew Travis has created a centre-wide pedagogy, based on my complex trauma-informed practice theory.

Together we presented a poster at the Trauma Aware Education conference last week.

It has been a privilege to co-operate with SREEC staff and an honour to observe their sensitive integration of Jinibara perspectives when teaching about and on country.

Andrew took great care to place an intellectual property recognition on the poster and has taken the poster back to the centre where it can be kept or disposed of with dignity.

I shall shortly be visiting SREEC to observe the latest iteration of their pedagogical approach in action, with a view to endorsing the centre as a complex trauma-informed organisation

https://stanleyrivereec.eq.edu.au/

01/11/2024

'What is wrong with you?', and 'what happened to you?' are contrasted approaches, and not meant as literal questions we should ask people in distress.

A person's story is theirs, none of our business, and may not provide either dignity in the re-telling or clear solutions.

'What matters to you?' is enabling, forward facing, solution(s) focused, and compassionate.

It is something we can all ask, whether clinically trained or not.

The proposal by Hel Spandler PhD is thoughtfully introduced and worth reading.



https://www.madinamerica.com/2024/10/what-matters-to-you/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3LEH9f4cLg4kvTz2TcZX8Pzf0T2Ohm8z90cflEeRJSdpxoGXHk8XrEy_I_aem_HZdPaizxF179BJy8OAmlRg

Both ‘what’s wrong with you?’ and ‘what’s happened to you’ risk sidelining people’s own understandings and solutions.