Host Dr. Jonathan Shailor's guest is Stephan Wolfert, founder and director of DE-CRUIT, an evidence-based program designed to support military veterans, trauma survivors, and marginalized communities in healing the invisible wounds of war, violence, and adverse life experiences. Stephan is a licensed, certified social worker (LCSW) in Massachusetts, a military veteran, and a classically trained actor with an MFA and a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, with a focus on trauma practice. In this conversation with Jonathan Shailor, Stephan will demonstrate how he works with clients, integrating neuroscience, embodiment, and storytelling to help people navigate trauma, transitions, and transformations..
About DE-CRUIT®
Healing trauma through Shakespeare and science.
DE-CRUIT® is an evidence-based program designed to support military veterans, trauma survivors, and marginalized communities in healing the invisible wounds of war, violence, and adverse life experiences. Founded by veteran, actor, and licensed clinical social worker Stephan Wolfert, DE-CRUIT® integrates classical theater, neuroscience, and trauma-informed care to address the psychological and physiological impacts of trauma.
Why Shakespeare?
The simple answer is breath, rhythm, community and language. Shakespeare wrote extensively about war, grief, betrayal, power, and the human condition. His texts offer a mirror to trauma and a language to process it. Through structured exploration of Shakespeare’s verse —combined with narrative writing, group connection, and embodied practices—participants begin to re-author their stories and reclaim agency over their lives.
Our Mission
DE-CRUIT® exists to make trauma healing more accessible, creative, and community-driven. Our mission is to deliver culturally responsive, arts-based mental health support that is research-backed, relational, and rooted in the belief that healing is possible for all.
Who We Serve
- Military Veterans and their families
- Adult survivors of childhood trauma (ACEs)
- Incarcerated individuals and returning citizens
- Mental health professionals and educators
- Artists, actors, and creative practitioners
- Communities impacted by systemic trauma
Our Approach
Participants in DE-CRUIT® programs engage in:
- Classical text exploration (primarily Shakespeare)
- Narrative writing and storytelling
- Embodied exercises to regulate the nervous system
- Peer connection and group dialogue
- Trauma-informed, anti-oppressive facilitation
- Clinical frameworks grounded in neuroscience
DE-CRUIT® is continually evaluated through self-report, EEG, and heart rate variability studies, with over 20 peer-reviewed articles and 8 books documenting its impact.
What We Offer
- In-person and virtual courses and workshops
- Clinical training and CE for therapists and counselors
- Keynotes and performances (including the acclaimed solo show Cry Havoc!)
- Research collaboration with academic and clinical institutions
- On-demand courses coming soon in partnership with Collectively Rooted
Our Values
- Storytelling is medicine
- Healing is communal
- The body keeps the score—and can write a new one
- The arts are essential to recovery, not ancillary
Awards
2020 Winner of the Aaron Stein Award presented by The American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). The Aaron Stein Award is given annually to organizations that utilize the creative applications of group therapy and techniques to benefit the community, particularly in non-pyschotherapeutic settings.
Cry Havoc!
After two years of paralysis from a high school sports injury. After six years in the United States Army. After a full blown transition into a classic case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Stephan Wolfert hopped off an Amtrak train deep in the mountains of Montana. Far from home. Close to the middle of nowhere. And without the first damn clue of what to do for the rest of his life.