A new self-directed course aims to help Persian-language journalists who cover traumatic events.

The Trauma and Journalism course in Persian, offered by NewsU International, a partnership partnership between the Poynter Institute and the International Center for Journalists, aims to equip journalists covering human tragedies and crises with better tools to protect themselves from psychological trauma.

Images of human suffering, gore, death and destruction caused by violence or natural disasters can't simply be forgotten. Journalists in the field and in the newsroom are no exception; witnessing traumatic events affects the well-being of journalists and their ability to work. This course will teach you how traumatic stress affects victims and how to interview trauma victims with compassion and respect.

Participants in this self-directed course will learn the following:

• Strategies to keep their resilience
• That distress in the face of tragedy is a normal human response -- not a weakness
• Tips for self care
• Why peer support is important
• When to get help

This course is not just for journalists who cover traumatic events but also for those who edit the stories, images and videos, design web pages or produce online reports.

In order to participate in the course, applicants should first register with the NewsU International site.

An English-language version of the course is available here