The Burden of Truth: Trauma-Informed Journalism and Indigenous Peoples.

This article examines the current state and challenges of trauma-informed journalism education in Canada, with a particular focus on Indigenous journalists who often enter the profession carrying personal and intergenerational trauma linked to colonial histories. Using a mixed methods approach—including a review of journalism program curricula and a conversational roundtable with Indigenous journalists—the research finds that trauma-informed content is largely absent or minimal in Canadian journalism education, despite the significant emotional and professional burdens Indigenous journalists face when covering traumatic stories about their communities. The article highlights the need for journalism programs to integrate trauma-informed pedagogy that includes Indigenous perspectives, cultural competence, and relational accountability to better prepare both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students for ethical and sensitive reporting. It also emphasizes that trauma-informed education should equip journalists to manage their own mental health while fostering trust and empathy in their reporting, addressing calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission regarding Indigenous histories and experiences.