Survivors and the Media: Pitfalls and Potential (IN: Suicide and Its Aftermath: Understanding and the Counseling the Survivors ed. by E.J. Dunne)

This chapter examines the effect media coverage can have on people bereaved by suicide. The author presents numerous examples, from her own experiences after her brother’s suicide & from her work as a therapist in a bereavement group, of how a news story can make family members feel more stigmatized or how it can be used to educate the public. Some guidelines are offered that can help reporters cover a suicide story but also be sensitive to the needs of the bereaved family.