Around 70 percent of journalists have suffered from some levels of psychological distress, according to a 2020 study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and the University of Toronto.
In response to the mental health challenges facing industry professionals, the College Journalism Network at CalMatters hosted an online meeting on Nov. 21 for journalism students to discuss self-care and share tools on navigating anxiety, burnout and PTSD.
Speaking on the “Mental Health in Journalism” webinar, Naseem S. Miller, senior health editor at The Journalist’s Resource — a website that aims to connect journalists with information about recently published academic studies — acknowledged the many ways journalists encounter trauma while working with graphic images, attending court hearings, and conducting interviews with people affected by violence or loss.
“You never know if a story is going to affect you, and you never know if it’s going to affect you more than the journalist next to you,” Miller told the audience.
Another speaker, Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon, chair of the Department of Communication, Art, and Design at Gardner-Webb University, noted that in her experience, the industry has discouraged journalists from revealing distress.
“It used to be common to be told to ‘shake it off,’” Lemon said. “I think it’s great that we are making noise.”
Lemon shared her experience of being assigned to cover a funeral-related story shortly after losing a loved one, and described the difficulty of navigating her grief while reporting the story. She said the moment highlighted why journalists need to advocate for themselves by speaking up when an assignment hits too close to home.
“At the time, I just wanted people to know that I could do the work,” said Lemon. “I’m grateful that I had two incredible coworkers who spoke up on my behalf.”
The importance of creating newsroom cultures that prioritize mental health was emphasized in the meeting. While showing on screen the American Psychological Association’s 2022 Work and Well-Being Survey, which found that 81 percent of workers consider mental health support when evaluating workplaces, the speakers encouraged students to help build more supportive environments.
“Building a positive dynamic as an individual as well as a collective team is important,” Lemon said.
Miller and Lemon also offered practical tools, including resources from the Global Center for Journalism and Trauma Support Network, based at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, which promotes ethical, trauma-informed reporting and provides spaces for journalists to exchange advice.
They also highlighted mental health first-aid training from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
The speakers urged participants to speak up and prioritize their well-being, expressing hope that continued conversations like this will help build more positive, supportive newsrooms.
“You all have power in making our industry look different — not only as an individual but as a collective,” said Lemon.