Current MMJC students and grads from the program are invited to join alumni from the Master of Arts in Journalism (MAJ) class of ’96 to hear about how to take care of one’s mental health in newsrooms and comms shops.
This informal discussion will take place Saturday, September 24th at 1:30 pm in Room 15a of Middlesex College.
Among those who will share their experiences is Dave Seglins, a CBC investigative journalist who spent years covering corruption, murders, police, courts, terrorism and national security issues. His own trauma covering the gruesome sex crimes of psycho-killer Colonel Russell Williams prompted him to become an outspoken advocate for improved mental health awareness in Canada’s newsrooms.
Also to speak about her experience is Roxanne Beaubien who covered the crime beat for the London Free Press, running to traumatic scenes day after day for three years. She then worked for the RCMP in communications for 13 years where she did communications and media relations for many difficult incidents including serial murders and police officer deaths. In the midst of this, she struggled with major depressive episodes and PTSD exacerbated by continuous exposure to traumatic events. Out of a desire to improve mental health awareness in the RCMP, she became a peer facilitator in the RCMP’s Road to Mental Readiness program, presenting to employees about building mental resiliency.
Dave, Roxanne, former Toronto Star reporter Daphne Gordon, Laura Mandell, Toronto-based communications leader — and others — will share their experiences, and talk about signs and symptoms to watch for and tips to build resiliency.