Echo’s executive director Louise Godbold partners with journalist, author, and trauma researcher Tamara Cherry to bring you a workshop on trauma-informed journalism, suitable for journalists, newsroom managers, and non-profit communications teams. This training provides a solid grounding in working with trauma survivors to tell stories that heal, instead of harm.

Research shows that most trauma survivors are negatively impacted by their interactions (or lack thereof) with the media, but many of those same survivors see value sharing their stories publicly. Is the harm that comes from trauma reporting a necessary evil for positive outcomes? No. Register today to learn how to incorporate trauma-informed principles into your storytelling practice.

At the end of this training you will be able to:

• List the principles of trauma-informed practice
• Describe the impact of trauma on the body and brain
• Identify common trauma responses
• Explain the differences between trauma memory and regular memory
• Utilize tools for emotional regulation (for self and interviewee)
• Practice skills to avoid retraumatization
• Implement strategies for improved collaboration
• Apply methods that contribute to the survivor’s healing and wellbeing
• Implement practical strategies for supporting a survivor in telling their story
• Utilize techniques that increase the accuracy and veracity of the reported story

• Identify common positive and negative impacts of the media on trauma survivors
• Integrate trauma-informed strategies into storytelling practice

Details

Dates: Wednesday, March 5th, 2025 | 8:00am-11:30am PST
Cost: $85; $55 early bird (before 1/31/25)
Location: Live training via Zoom. Zoom link and extra details will be sent out a week prior to the training date.
Continuing Education: 3 CE credits are available for an additional $30 for qualifying licenses. For more information visit our continuing education page.

Additional Information

Cancellation fees may apply; be sure to review our refund policies here.

Continuing Education: This course meets the qualifications for 3 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. These credits are available for an additional $30. For more information visit our continuing education page.

For questions about this training, please contact us at training@echotraining.org or (213) 484-6676

* Echo maintains responsibility for this course and its content*

Tamara Cherry is a trauma researcher, author, podcast host, and award-winning journalist who spent the bulk of her career as a crime reporter in some of Canada’s largest newsrooms, including the Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, and CTV News Toronto. She is the founder of Pickup Communications, a storytelling consulting firm that supports trauma survivors and relevant stakeholders. Her latest book, The Trauma Beat: A Case for Re-Thinking the Business of Bad News, was described in a Quill & Quire starred review as “a stunning work that should be required reading for journalism students, news reporters, true crime junkies, and anyone who wants to write narratives that heal, instead of harm.” Part-memoir, part-journalism, The Trauma Beat draws on the experiences of more than 100 trauma survivors — from homicides to traffic fatalities, sexual violence to mass violence — while exploring all the ways Tamara got things wrong as a crime reporter when she erroneously thought her very good intentions were good enough.

Tamara Cherry is a trauma researcher, author, podcast host, and award-winning journalist who spent the bulk of her career as a crime reporter in some of Canada’s largest newsrooms, including the Toronto Star,