What Newsroom Bosses Need to Know About Trauma in Journalists
Trauma in journalism can come in many forms, including covering natural disasters, mass shootings, war zones, and other crises. These events can take a toll on journalists, leading to burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
One study found that about 55 percent of journalists surveyed had experienced some form of trauma, with almost one-third showing symptoms of PTSD. Despite this, journalists are often expected to carry on with their work as if nothing has happened, causing their trauma to go unaddressed.
Editors and bosses in newsrooms have a responsibility to support their employees who may be experiencing trauma.
This can be done in several ways.
PROVIDE TRAINING ON TRAUMA AND ITS EFFECTS
Editors and bosses should provide training to journalists on the effects of trauma, how to recognize it, and how to address it. This training should be ongoing, as trauma can affect journalists at any time. The US Government provides some resources on how to recognize trauma, and what to do about it.
FOSTER A CULTURE OF SUPPORT
Newsrooms should create a culture that values the mental health and wellbeing of their employees. This can be done by offering mental health resources, creating support groups, and promoting self-care practices. However, it’s important to know the limits of other journalists in the newsroom: “Just hearing about other people’s stories can impact us and witnessing it can impact us. And it could be frontline people, it could be editing people,” Gretchen Schmelzer, author of Journey Through Trauma, said. “It happens in any field where you just see an onslaught of things, right? And we have to help each other because actually, that numbness isn’t serving us and it’s not serving our work. It helps us not feel horrible. I get that. But it doesn’t actually help us be effective.”
PROVIDE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Newsrooms should provide access to mental health resources, such as therapists or counselors, for journalists who need support. This can be done through employee assistance programs or by partnering with mental health organizations. There are some journalist-specific programs for addressing trauma that can be helpful.
RECOGNIZE AND ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
It is important for newsroom editors and bosses to recognize that trauma can affect journalists in different ways. Some may be able to continue working through their trauma, while others may need time off or a different assignment. “If people are constantly living in their resilience mode, that’s not sustainable,” said Schmelzer. “That would be like driving on your spare tire. At some point, that thing’s going to blow.” Newsrooms should work with their employees to find the best way to support them based on their individual needs.
BE READY TO ADDRESS BURNOUT
“If this stress is too enduring for too long, that’s when you see burnout and breakdown,” Nicole Schilit of the International Center For Journalists (ICFJ) said. “The good news is that journalists are a resilient group. Studies have shown that journalists have lower rates of PTSD than other trauma-facing professionals, and that’s partly because of built-in factors … data has shown that when strong ethics and mission and purpose are coupled with a supportive work environment, that increases resilience.”
Trauma is a commonly overlooked issue in journalism. Newsroom editors and bosses have a responsibility to support their employees who may be experiencing trauma by making sure that employees are supported and that the newsroom itself has access to resources and a plan in place in case a journalist or journalists are struggling. By doing so, newsrooms can help ensure the wellbeing of their employees and maintain the quality of their journalism.
