As Nigeria battles to manage the growing mental health challenges among people, the Media Mentor’s Network has organized a training workshop aimed at equipping media professionals with strategies to protect their mental health as they carry out their daily activities.
The workshop, held in Minna, the Niger State capital on Thursday, brought together journalists from various media houses to discuss the psychological impact of their work and explore techniques for self-care.
During the workshop, experts in mental healthcare and journalism led sessions on stress management, trauma resilience, and achieving a work-life balance.
Speaking at the event, a mental health expert and founder of Succeeding Against All Odds, Dr Valda Martins stressed the need for journalists to prioritize their well-being while handling often demanding assignments.
She noted that journalists face various forms of stress, especially emanating from covering traumatic events, struggling to find a work-life balance as well as their daily interactions with others.
Similarly, the Spokesperson for the Counselling Association of Nigeria, Niger State Chapter, Suleiman Doko emphasised the need for journalists to seek help when dealing with stress and other problems that arise from their daily life.
He encouraged journalists to actively towards finding a balance between their work and their personal lives.
On her part, the Convener of the Workshop and Creative Director, Media Mentors Network, Justina Asishana said that the training was part of strategies to equip journalists as they brace to take on the various assignments that may be required of them this year.
She noted that the workshop was also organised to provide a forum for journalists to share and learn from experts on ways to properly manage their mental health.
She therefore encouraged the participants to look out for their colleagues who may be facing mental health challenges.
On her part, the Special Adviser to the Niger State Governor on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso stressed the need for journalists to look out for one another as a form of mental health care.
Wakaso, who emphasised the role of mental health in the lives of journalists also advised them to seek help from professionals when dealing with such issues.
A participant, Aisha Dan-Azumi, who described the training as timely, lauded the organisers for organising the workshop.
This online platform reports that the Mental Health Workshop for Journalists in Niger state was organized by Media Mentors Network in collaboration with the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism , Succeding Against All Odds and AsheNews.
