Informed Reporting

Dr. Gretchen Hoak | Specialist in Journalist Wellbeing
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Listen each week as Dr. Gretchen Hoak, former TV journalist, researcher, and professor, talks with other researchers, working journalists, and newsroom managers about mental health, newsroom culture, and journalist wellbeing. This podcast connects the real world with what academic research shows about life as a journalist and the toll the stress can take. From local journalist to national correspondent, we talk about the consequences of covering the trauma that makes the headlines and leads the newscasts. If you want to join the conversation and learn about how we can use research to make the news industry better and keep good journalists in the field where we need them, then this podcast is for you. Follow us on Instagram @informedreportingpodcast, or email us at informedreportingpodcast@gmail.com.

Episodes

  1. "Lessons Learned from an Unconventional Career Path" with Stephanie Weaver

    3D AGO

    "Lessons Learned from an Unconventional Career Path" with Stephanie Weaver

    Description: In this candid conversation, Meteorologist and Journalist Stephanie Weaver talks about her successes and challenges in her career, balancing work and home as a mom, covering the LA wildfires in 2025, and learning to be her own best advocate. She also talks about her podcast, “I am Not a Weather Girl,” and offers advice for journalists who are new to the field. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:07 Getting to Know Stephanie Weaver 02:33 Her Winding Path to Journalism 05:17 Starting off in Film Making 06:27 Sometimes it's not a straight path 07:39 Adding Meteorology to the Mix 12:21 Covering the Los Angeles Wildfires 16:42 Balancing Emotions in Reporting 20:56 How the Fires Compared to Other Stories 23:50 Challenges of Perfectionism and Identity 27:10 Managing Anxiety 29:55 Embracing Change and Career Pivots 31:05 The Transition to Parenthood and Professional Life 34:02 Shifting Perspectives as a Parent 36:03 Managing Anxiety in High-Stress Environments 38:34 Finding Work-Life Balance as a Journalist 40:02 Advocating for Yourself in Your Career 41:56 Lessons Learned 44:25 Navigating Career Setbacks and Uncertainties 46:42 "I am not a Weather Girl" Podcast 49:21 Journalists are Humans, Too 50:41 Looking Ahead 51:38 Conclusion Show Notes Stephanie Weaver Bio - https://www.livenowfox.com/person/w/stephanie-weaver I am Not a Weather Girl Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-am-not-a-weather-girl-podcast/id1800807293 Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py5UrDpav80 Instagram: @stephweaverTV

    53 min
  2. "Journalists and Moral Injury" with Dr. Kari James

    MAR 30

    "Journalists and Moral Injury" with Dr. Kari James

    Description Dr. Kari James is an accomplished clinician, researcher, educator and advocate for resilience after trauma. In this fascinating conversation, we dig into her main area of research – moral injury – and how it applies to journalists. We talk about what causes moral injury and how it’s different from, but often confused with, PTSD. We also talk about symptoms and how to build resilience against moral injury, along with what newsrooms and journalism education programs can do to help. I hope you enjoy this really interesting episode filled with a lot of actionable information and tools. Kari was a pleasure to talk with and she deserves special thanks for working through a 15-hour time difference to get this episode recorded! Chapter List 00:00 Introduction 02:55 How she began to study Moral Injury 04:31 Moral Injury Defined 06:42 Moral Injury and PTSD are not the same 08:36 Origins of Moral Injury Research 11:01 Causes of Moral Injury 15:44 Symptoms of Moral Injury 17:40 The Evolution of Moral Injury Symptoms 21:12 The Importance of Debriefing 21:45 Differences in Treatment 31:43 Consequences of Failing to Seek Treatment 35:45 Susceptibility to Moral Injury 37:37 Moral Injury and Identity 45:10 Organizational Support and Moral Injury 47:20 Factors Influencing Resilience 49:13 Seeking Treatment 52:25 The Importance of Open Dialogue 55:30 Future Research Directions in Moral Injury 56:49 Conclusion Show Notes Mission Resilient with Dr. Kari James - https://missionresilient.com/ Dr. Kari James LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kari-james-61a7b9299/ Follow Dr. Kari James on Instagram - @drkarijames Global Center for Journalism and Trauma - https://gcjt.org/ Center of Excellence for Trauma Research and Policy - https://www.phoenixaustralia.org/

    58 min
  3. "Learning the Tools" with journalist and professor Charlie Scudder

    MAR 23

    "Learning the Tools" with journalist and professor Charlie Scudder

    Description Charlie Scudder is an award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. He’s covered many tragedies including the 2016 Dallas police shootings, the 2019 shooting spree in Midland-Odessa, and the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde in 2022. In this episode Charlie candidly discusses his struggles with mental health because of his work, and the tools he learned to use to keep him healthy and able to continue doing important journalism. He also talks about how he applies his experiences to his teaching at Southern Methodist University. This episode is a must-listen for anyone wanting to understand more about how journalists can struggle with mental health and the best ways to deal with it. Chapter list 00:00 Charlie Scudder's Background and Career 03:27 Covering the 2016 Dallas Shootings 07:40 Charlie's Trauma Journey 12:26 Escalating Symptoms of Trauma Exposure 15:24 The Role of Newsrooms 17:51 Seeking Help for Trauma Exposure 22:24 Journalists Are First Responders 26:18 Covering Uvalde 31:48 Learning the Tools for Resilience 34:50 Trauma Informed Journalism Education 40:08 Advice for Journalists 43:54 Charlie's Other Projects 51:01 Conclusion Show Notes Charlie’s Bio https://www.smu.edu/meadows/areasofstudy/journalism/faculty/scuddercharlie Check out Charlie’s work on Seasons 2 & 4 of “The Unforgotten” Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unforgotten/id1752378130 https://open.spotify.com/show/6eTkJLdWysymSWKLQd9R5z Follow Charlie on Instagram - @cscudder15 Other mentions in the podcast Global Center for Journalism and Trauma https://gcjt.org/ Dallas Morning News Coverage of the 2016 Police Shootings https://www.pulitzer.org/finalists/staff-190

    53 min
  4. "Let's Talk about Trauma" with Dr. Adrienne Garvey

    MAR 17

    "Let's Talk about Trauma" with Dr. Adrienne Garvey

    Description In this inaugural episode of the “Informed Reporting” podcast, Drs. Gretchen Hoak and Adrienne Garvey explore the often-overlooked issue of trauma in journalism, discussing personal experiences, coping mechanisms, and the role of academia in addressing these challenges. The conversation highlights the importance of peer support, the impact of newsroom culture, and the need for mental health resources. They also discuss innovative approaches like therapy dogs in newsrooms and the necessity of integrating trauma education into journalism training programs. Chapter List 00:00 Getting to know Dr. Garvey 03:17 Unpacking Trauma in the Newsroom 07:18 Dr. Garvey's Introduction to Trauma Research 09:52 Trauma is Not Just for War Journalists 14:03 Coping Mechanisms 21:14 Newsroom Culture 23:01 Who doesn't love dogs? 28:44 Teaching Trauma Literacy 37:23 Closing 38:27 Credits Show Notes Links to studies and information mentioned during the show: 2006 Amish school Shooting – Lancaster, PA Freinkel, Koopman and Spiegel (1994) Dissociative Symptoms in Media Eyewitnesses of an Execution. Dworznik and Garvey (2019) Are we teaching trauma? Anderson and Bourke (2020) Teaching collegiate journalists how to cover traumatic events using Moral Development Theory Newman, Madrigal and Hight (2023) The inconsistency of trauma-related journalism education goals and instruction Aoki, et al. (2012) Mental illness among journalists: A systematic review Pyevich, et al. (2003) The relationship among cognitive schemas, job-related traumatic exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder in journalists

    39 min

  5. TRAILER

    Trailer - Informed Reporting

    Coming March 16, a new podcast for journalists, journalism students and educators. Join host Dr. Gretchen Hoak, former reporter turned journalism professor, to talk candidly about what it's like to chase the story. Each week, hear from researchers, professors, and working journalists about the harder parts of the job that journalists don't get trained for.

    2 min

Trailer

About

Listen each week as Dr. Gretchen Hoak, former TV journalist, researcher, and professor, talks with other researchers, working journalists, and newsroom managers about mental health, newsroom culture, and journalist wellbeing. This podcast connects the real world with what academic research shows about life as a journalist and the toll the stress can take. From local journalist to national correspondent, we talk about the consequences of covering the trauma that makes the headlines and leads the newscasts. If you want to join the conversation and learn about how we can use research to make the news industry better and keep good journalists in the field where we need them, then this podcast is for you. Follow us on Instagram @informedreportingpodcast, or email us at informedreportingpodcast@gmail.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Gretchen Hoak | Specialist in Journalist Wellbeing
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Dr. Gretchen Hoak | Specialist in Journalist Wellbeing
  • Show Website
    Informed Reporting