Previous Episode: Crucial Conversations
Next Episode: Raise Your Voice

When journalists experience vicarious trauma

Welcome back! After a couple of weeks filled with their real jobs, travel, concerts, receptions, and general craziness, Kim & Kirsta are thrilled to bring you this week’s episode and special guest.


The gals sat down with investigative journalist Anastasiya Bolton after many months of planning this interview, and all we can say is “wow”. This is a must-listen for any aspiring journalist, writer, or person who consumes any sort of news media. So yes, basically everyone. Listen as Anastasiya talks about how journalists experience vicarious trauma through the stories they cover, the victims they meet, and the weight their hearts carry forever.

LASKI Interview: Life As Anastasiya Knows It

Anastasiya Bolton is an award-winning journalist covering Crime and Justice for 9NEWS in Denver, Colorado.


A native of Moscow, Russia, she moved to the United States to attend college. After graduation from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Anastasiya started working overnights at Texas Cable News in Dallas writing and editing. She also worked in Amarillo and Tyler, Texas, as well as Birmingham, Ala.


She covered the Aurora theater shooting in July 2012 and followed the survivors and victims over the course of the year. In June 2013, she went to her first home – Russia – to do pre-Sochi Olympic coverage for the entire Gannett media group.


In her free time, Anastasiya enjoys traveling, skiing, reading and occasionally cooking. VERY occasionally.

Links referenced in this episode:

A recent crazy tractor chase through downtown Denver:  https://www.9news.com/article/news/crime/downtown-tractor-chase-suspect-also-might-have-stolen-lakewood-car-police-say/73-576635544


The ‘I Love You Guys’ foundation in remembrance of Emily Keyes:  http://iloveuguys.org/


Anastasiya’s interview with Jessica Ridgeway’s mother 5 years after her death:  https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/5-years-after-tragedy-jessica-ridgeways-mom-welcomes-baby-girl/73-500820600


Anastasiya’s editorial on covering mass shootings:  https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/commentary-im-an-expert-in-mass-shootings/73-522211061


The massacre in Annapolis:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/07/02/police-annapolis-suspected-killer-sent-threatening-letters-day-shooting/753509002/


The following are a few resources on vicarious trauma, including how it relates to the workplace:


https://dartcenter.org/resources/handling-traumatic-imagery-developing-standard-operating-procedure


https://firstdraftnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/vicarioustrauma.pdf


https://medium.com/1st-draft/new-guide-offers-dialogue-and-guidance-on-vicarious-




Follow Anastasiya on Twitter



















View this post on Instagram

We are deeply appreciative of @9newsdenver’s Crime & Justice reporter Anastasiya Bolton for taking the time to speak with Kim and Kirsta. Tune in to next week’s #LASKIpodcast to hear about how she and other journalists experience vicarious trauma. We want to know what role mental health awareness could play in the future throughout newsrooms across the country.

A post shared by ‘Life As She Knows It’ Podcast (@laski_podcast) on Aug 3, 2018 at 2:09pm PDT









Request Kimberly





Watch Kimberly's TED Talk

Twitter Mentions