Securely Attached13 Nov 2025

Q&A: Is the 24/7 news cycle harming your mental health?

We're doing something a little different on Beyond the Sessions this week! Instead of answering a listener question, Dr. Emily Upshur, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, and I are unpacking a fascinating (and slightly unsettling) study about how media exposure to traumatic events can affect our mental health—and what it means for us and our kids.

In this episode, we talk about:

- A study that found people who watched repeated news coverage about the Boston Marathon Bombing showed more markers of stress than some who were actually there.

- Why constant exposure to distressing headlines can keep your nervous system stuck in fight-or-flight.

- How past trauma and chronic stress can make us more vulnerable to media-induced anxiety.

- What "orienting to safety" means and simple ways to help your brain (and your child's) return to calm.

- How to talk to kids about scary news stories in age-appropriate, grounding ways.

In a world where we're surrounded by 24/7 coverage of crisis and tragedy, this conversation will help you understand what's happening inside your brain and body and give you tools for focusing on building resilience and safety for your child.

REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:

📚 Media's role in broadcasting acute stress following the Boston Marathon bombings

ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about parental dysregulation with Dr. Amber Thornton

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about parental burnout

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about how to be intentional with your tech use with Catherine Price

🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about motherhood as a millennial with Marcella Kelson

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:

Go to https://drsarahbren.com/question to send us a question or a topic you want to hear us answer on Securely Attached - Beyond the Sessions!

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