As part of a series of conversations with professionals and scholars in the field of mental health and well-being in media industries and professions, in this episode I sit down with Dave Seglins, a Canadian investigative journalist and industry mental health educator and advocate.

At the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Dave works as a "Well-being Champion" focused on research, training and innovation to support the mental health of news professionals. In 2022, he and Matthew Pearson (Carleton University) published the powerful Taking Care report on mental health, trauma and wellbeing among Canadian media workers. Seglins is also a fellow of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma and a member of the Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence in Trauma.

Our conversation focuses on the significance of normalizing the conversation about health and well-being in the newsroom, the paradox of bringing your 'whole self' to the job of being a journalist - while reporters are not supposed to feel when doing that job.

We talk about 'truth as passion' for reporters and editors, the link between well-being and diversity, and in the end talk through the four steps of shaping a healthier working environment in the media: creating space for conversation, collectively identify key stressors, educate yourself (and others) about the issues, and determine which practices indeed need to change to make people feel safe and included.

These interviews in part support the publication of my book (titled: Well-Being and Creative Careers: What Makes You Happy Can Also Make You Sick, out late 2025 with Intellect) on health, well-being and happiness in media work, and to showcase and celebrate the work so many people around the world are doing to advocate and promote these issues in media workplaces.

Please follow, leave a comment, and check more updates on my Substack (markdeuze.substack.com).