Finding Healing Through Awareness: My Experience at the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Forum

Late last month, I had the privilege of attending a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Forum for Journalists, organized by the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) at The Monarch Hotel. As a Freelance Journalist and a student journalist at Daystar University, I walked into the session expecting to learn but I left feeling transformed.

Our facilitator, Carol, a compassionate psychologist, opened the session by helping us understand the different forms of trauma and how they silently shape our behaviors, productivity and relationships in the workplace. She explained that trauma is not limited to major life events it can stem from continuous stress, exposure to distressing news stories or even personal struggles that go unspoken.

Listening to Carol, I reflected deeply on the documentary “The Wisdom of Trauma.” One phrase from it echoed in my mind: “Trauma is not what happens to you; it’s what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you.” I realized how this applied to my own mental health, procrastination, pressure to always perform and the fear of not being enough. These feelings, though common among journalists and students alike are often unacknowledged forms of inner pain.

The most empowering part of the session was when Carol guided us through creating a personal self-care plan. We each reflected on our emotional triggers and listed intentional actions to protect our wellbeing, from setting healthy boundaries and taking mindful breaks to seeking support when needed. Writing my plan felt like taking back control over my emotional space.

The forum was more than a training; it was a moment of collective healing. It reminded me that as journalists, we carry other people’s stories but we also need to care for our own. We cannot report on trauma while ignoring the impact it leaves on us.

I left the event with a renewed understanding of what it means to be both strong and gentle with myself. Mental health is not a weakness but the foundation of meaningful storytelling and personal growth.

By Faith Nganga, Freelance Journalist.