There’s a lot happening in the media industry. 

The Washington Post just laid off hundreds of journalists.

Two journalists were arrested in connection with their coverage of a protest. 

Two residents were shot and killed while documenting the actions of ICE agents in Minneapolis.

And the list goes on.

I spoke to Siobhan Flowers, a licensed therapist and a former television reporter, to help journalists make sense of their emotions and feelings around what’s happening in the industry. 

Navigating uncertainty

To start, Flowers said, don’t gaslight yourself if you are feeling more depressed about work or the stories you’re covering.  

“If you feel like there’s a tone that’s shifting, or something doesn’t feel quite like business as usual,” it’s important to tap into what they are feeling or experiencing, she said.

That doesn’t mean worrying about things that haven’t happened yet, she said, but allow yourself to notice when you start to feel a shift. That’s a good time to figure out what you’re in control of and to start to make a plan.  

“What is the worst case scenario that you are fearing, and is there a plan that you can have in place to help counteract that fear?” Flowers said. “So if there’s a fear of layoffs, for example, then it’s like, ‘Okay. Can I work on networking? How can I maybe enhance my professional relationships?’ ”

Also, Flowers said, approach whatever you’re feeling with curiosity.

Our bodies naturally want to avoid things we are fearful of, she said. “If you are naturally fearful of something, the anxiety, your body tends to want to avoid it. And so the opposite of that is actually leaning into it, being curious about the fear, asking yourself questions,” she said. 

She tells her clients not to ask themselves “what if?” but “even if?”

“We don’t want to do the emotional bypass of not acknowledging the fear, but we don’t want to unpack our bags and live in that space. So once you’ve acknowledged the emotion underneath it, then it is about what’s within your control, what plan can you put in place?”

When the story is in your community

Many journalists are covering trauma where they live. That can mean that even when the assignment ends, the story does not. 

Journalists might find themselves doing more than they normally would because a news story is impacting their own communities. That can make it hard to separate work and home.  

Flowers advises:

• Maintain space between work and home, even if for a short period of time
• Practice grounding, a series of techniques therapists use to help someone who has ongoing intrusive thoughts or feelings

There can come a point, she said, when constant exposure to crisis becomes a form of chronic stress. Acute stress can be intense but is short-lived, where chronic stress may be less intense but has a cumulative effect over time. 

“Our bodies are actually designed more so to deal with the acute stress,” she said.“We let it in, we release it. But it is the chronic stress that becomes problematic, because we are less likely to know how to release it, or we’re not even able to release it.”

Strategies to cope with stress

For journalists, stress can be brought on by being in reaction mode. Instead, being proactive, with a plan in place before the stressful situation hits, can create a helpful buffer, she said.

 “ It helps to increase your capacity to be able to face those stressful events head on.”

Different things work for different people, but a few suggestions from Flowers include:

• Establishing clear boundaries at work.
• Taking intentional mental breaks.“There’s a phrase …called micro-moments …It’s unrealistic to expect people to be able to block off hours and chunks of time for self-care. …but even those micro-moments, to just pause, to focus on breathwork to acknowledge what’s coming up for them… that does do a lot to help counteract some of the stress that gets built up.”
• Name what you’re feeling. Acknowledge you are stressed or scared about a potential outcome and share that feeling with people you trust. Talk to a professional. “Every journalist should have a therapist or a mental health professional in their back pocket as a resource.”

What can newsrooms do?

When the news cycle feels nonstop, how can newsrooms balance urgency with care? 

• ”I think newsrooms have to prioritize patience and extending grace and compassion. We do have to acknowledge that in places like newsrooms, both are necessary,” Flowers said.
• Offer staff a space and place to debrief. It is helpful if they’re able to name their feelings in the moment. Preferably, a mental health professional should facilitate these types of gatherings.
• Don’t avoid tough conversations. “The silence of it all actually does more harm, does more damage than being able to name it,” Flowers said. Offer support. “Even the question of how can I support you? What do you need right now? Just the idea of being acknowledged, feeling listened to, having those feelings validated really goes a long way.” Flowers said.

Through the Mental Health Reporting Project, Poynter has compiled a list of reporting and wellness resources for journalists.