EFJ to host workshop on journalists’ wellbeing and mental health in Namur, Belgium
On 16-17 June 2025, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) will be hosting a workshop entitled “Mental wellbeing: an invisible crisis in journalism” in Namur, Belgium, as part of the Stand up for Journalism (SUJ) project in partnership with the Association of professional journalists (AJP, Belgium). The workshop will focus on It will feature insightful speakers from across Europe, including journalists, media professionals, and experts.
This workshop is the fourth in a series of five thematic capacity-building workshops. The first workshop was held in Istanbul in September 2024, addressing collective bargaining strategies for freelancers. The second took place in Vichy, France, in January 2025, focusing on different challenges related to collective bargaining for freelancers. The third one explored online harassment in Belgrade in February 2024The remaining workshops will and organisation in the age of AI.
Agenda
09:00: Welcome and registration
09:00 – 09:15: Opening remarks
Ricardo Gutierrez, EFJ General Secretary
Martine Simonis, General-Secretary of AGJPB
09:15 – 10:00: Warm-up Activity
Yuk Lan Wong, Head of Project at EFJ
10:00 – 11:00 Mental health and well-being – an invisible crisis in journalism
This discussion will address the impact of stress, burnout, financial insecurity and difficult working conditions that European journalists tend to face – especially young journalists. It will look at mental health as a key factor in journalists leaving the profession, and will explore what can be the role of unions and media organisations in making journalism more sustainable.
Amandine Degand (IHECS) – Research on mental health problems of young journalists in the newsroom
Emma Thomasson, journalist and media trainer & coach at The Self-Investigation
Magda Bandera, Co-Founder of La Marea (TakTak media partner)
Moderator: Margaret Kirby, Health, Safety, Environment Communications Specialist
11:00 – 11:20: Coffee break
11:20 – 12:30: How Violence Against Journalists Affects Mental Health
There are long-term psychological consequences of violence against journalists. We will explore how journalists can adapt to their situations, and what are newsrooms, policymakers and unions/associations doing to better protect journalists from these harms.
Clémence Petit (UCL) – Research on violence against journalists and its impact on mental health
Aslı Avşar, psychologist for journalists – online
Alice Facchini, Journalist and FNSI project lead of #ComeTiSentiModerator: Sarah Frères, AJP President and co-editor-in-chief at Imagine
12:30 – 13:30: Lunch
13:30 – 15:00: Breakout Session 1 – How to make the case that mental health matters: what can we learn from Reuters and its pioneering peer support programme?
Mental health is no longer a side issue. It’s central to sustaining a healthy, resilient journalism workforce. But how can unions effectively advocate for meaningful support within newsrooms?
In this session, Emma Thomasson shares key insights from Reuters’ peer support programme – one of the first of its kind in a major international newsroom. The workshop will focus on:
- How to frame and communicate the need for mental health support to management and members
- What unions can learn from Reuters’ approach to peer support
- Practical steps to initiate or strengthen mental health support in newsrooms
Facilitator: Emma Thomasson, media trainer & coach at The Self-Investigation
15:00 – 15:30: Coffee break
15.30 – 17.00 Breakout Session 2 – Practical supports for journalists affected by mental health issues
Journalists often face intense pressure, trauma exposure, and precarious working conditions—factors that can deeply impact mental health. In this practical session, psychologist Aslı Avşar draws on her extensive experience supporting media professionals to explore how journalists can be effectively supported in the workplace.
This workshop will cover:
- Concrete procedures and steps for identifying and addressing mental health concerns among journalists
- Guidance on how to approach mental health conversations with empathy, respect, and awareness
- Key considerations for union representatives when supporting members facing mental health challenges
Ada Lampouka, Sr. Project Officer Safety & Mental Health Support at Free Press Unlimited
09:00: Registrations and coffee
09:15 – 10:00: Spotlight discussions – Building Mental Health Support Structures in Journalism
Helpline in Germany
- introduce the concept of the Helpline,
- what we did, how the training worked and what our experiences are
- and also about how people can support each other in the newsroom
Speakers: Ute Korinth, Journalist, resilience trainer and author, DJV and Malte Werner, Project lead of Helpline at Netzwerk Recherche
10:00 – 11:00: Focus group session
As part of a broader research initiative on mental health in journalism across Europe, this in-person focus group will bring together EFJ members to share experiences, identify challenges, and highlight good practices in addressing mental health and burnout.
This session will gather the lived experiences of journalists, union representatives, and media professionals. This is a unique opportunity for EFJ members to shape future advocacy and contribute directly to building a healthier media landscape.
Lead: Emma Thomasson, media trainer & coach at The Self-Investigation
11:00 – 11:30: Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30: Working Group: Creating a European campaign about well being and mental health of journalists in EU
- MEP Estelle Cuelemans (Belgium, S&D) – online
- Kevin Flynn, Policy Advisor for endstress.eu at Eurocadres
Facilitator: Camille Petit, Senior Communications Officer at EFJ
12:30 – 13:00: Concluding remarks
We will look back at what was discussed during this meeting and highlight any concrete follow-up steps that unions can take
Lead: Yuk Lan Wong, Head of Projects at EFJ
