Mental health and journalism, Part 6: A conversation with Mar Cabra

You may have heard about the groundbreaking Panama Papers investigation, which exposed how some of the most rich and powerful people around the world used offshore tax havens to conceal their wealth.

Former journalist Mar Cabra played a critical role during the groundbreaking investigation, as the head of the data and research unit at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the organization that spearheaded the global collaborative effort. She and her colleagues won a Pulitzer Prize for their reporting. 

The work, however, led Cabra to begin feeling the effects of burnout. A year after the Panama Papers investigation was published, she decided to leave her role at ICIJ to focus more on her own mental well-being. Today, she leads efforts to raise awareness of critical, under-recognized mental health issues with other journalists in today’s fast-paced news industry.

Earlier this year, for instance, Cabra helped launch The Self-Investigation, a free online stress management program for journalists.

In the sixth and final episode of our Mental Health and Journalism series, Cabra shares with us her personal story, insights on what a health relationship with technology looks like, and how journalists can better manage issues like stress and burnout that threaten their well-being.