Trauma Awareness for Journalists

Journalism that is informed by trauma tells a story with a sophisticated understanding of the deep, often long-lasting effects that a traumatic experience has on a person. It involves not just the science of working with and for traumatized people but also the use of narrative expressions that honor the truth of the lived experience of a person who has suffered a traumatic event. This truth is even more necessary today when, as the hashtag #MeToo shows, more of the stories previously left untold are now being told.

Journalists and those impacted by trauma know that untold stories contribute to a degree of suffering because society does not honor their experience as "true." Journalists know what it is like to be on the other side of trauma, with between 80% and 100% of them having been exposed to traumatic circumstances at work, as claimed by Columbia University’s Data Center for Journalism and Trauma.

Here’s what to consider.

Trauma-Sensitive Techniques for Interviews

Careful planning must be done before interviewing trauma-sensitive sources to ensure the right amount of care is employed. It is best for everyone involved if they remain comfortable and not in a triggered state, ensuring that the piece is its most informative and authentic. Before talking to a trauma survivor, a journalist should be doing thorough research on everything the individual has gone through, who they are, and how that shaped who they became. Also, they need to be well versed in the impact of trauma and how it works, exactly.

The trauma survivor can be given the power over where the interview location is and who else will be present. The journalist should be extra transparent about themselves too, so the survivor can stay comfortable due to that familiarity. Moreover, it may be effective to start out with questions that are easy to answer, before going into the heavier topics down the line.

Re-Triggering and What to Do When It Happens

Re-triggering is likely to occur, and trying to avoid it may seem like the reporter is downplaying the survivor's experience. Even when years have passed since traumatic incidents, symptoms can suddenly arise again when the survivor is exposed to any reminders of the triggering events. The ease and frequency that trauma can come back can also vary by age. If the trauma was in the survivor’s childhood, they may be experiencing it differently, as it spans more of their lifespan and the trauma reached them when the brain was still very much forming. 

Avoiding lengthy interviews lessens the chance that the survivor will be re-triggered in the process. The potential triggers also need to be identified, otherwise the journalist will not know exactly how to navigate around the survivor’s potential discomfort. It is effective to be direct by informing the survivor that if any question is too difficult to answer, they should feel free to let the journalist know.

If the survivor being interviewed is exhibiting symptoms of re-triggering, mindfulness exercises and breathing will very likely help quell them. Specific mindfulness exercises are a good thing to do research on beforehand so that the survivor can be guided through and then they can ascertain the best way to go from there in the interview.

While covering traumatic events, journalists should not forget to care for themselves. When the research is being done on trauma for the survivors as preparation before the interview, journalists should learn how their own PTSD from the job is affecting them too and to keep tabs on how much their mental health is truly being affected. A self-care plan needs to be put into place so that both the journalists and the sources remain mentally fortified. Journalists who do not fully take care of themselves cannot be fully present for the survivors whose stories need to be told.