A Holistic Well-Being Program for Professional Storytellers
A practical, self-paced way to design a well-being practice for people working irregular hours facing deadlines, trauma exposure, and a news cycle that never fully switches off.
- You’re tired from engaging with the 24/7 news cycle.
- You think exhaustion is part of the job.
- You feel that your declining mental health is a personal failure.
- You want to take a break but fear that you’re falling behind.
Recognize any of this? Press the pause button today and don’t wait until you’re burned out.
Did you attend the Mental Health in Journalism Summit 2026?
Enjoy a discount of 25% with code “SUMMIT”!
“I’ve found the program extremely helpful in the way it provided a structured, guided path to help me identify stressors (both internal and external!) as a media professional, and plenty of exercises that helped me put what Sanne shares into practice.”
— Samantha Ho (Editor and Multimedia Journalist based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
If cost is a genuine barrier where you are, DM me: sanne [at] inclusivejournalism [dot] com.
A reduced rate is available.
“Yes, but…”
1. “I don’t have time for this.”
Time definitely is tight, especially in the storytelling industry. But this program is built in small, digestible pieces, meant to fit around your deadlines. It includes practices you can apply immediately. If you genuinely can’t find ten minutes this week, that’s useful information too, and it might be exactly why you need this program. You can design your own practice through the given framework.
2. “I’ve tried wellness stuff before, and it didn’t really apply to me.”
Fair enough. A lot of wellness content is built for a general audience and doesn’t connect to the reality of journalists, CSOs, communication managers at NGOs, or content creators. This program is built around the specific pressures of this industry: the 24/7 cycle, trauma exposure, freelance instability, and the fear that comes with covering hard stories. It also draws from decolonial and global perspectives most wellness content never discusses.
3. “If I slow down, even for this, I’ll fall behind.”
This is not an irrational thought because the industry pace is fast nowadays. At the same time, the work you’re worried about losing will very likely still need someone who does it well, more than someone who’s simply fastest. And “well” is easier to reach at a pace you can sustain. Investing time in self-care now will prevent you from losing more time in the long run. Remember, the program teaches small steps and your own well-being as a starting point.
On working with Sanne
“What I loved about talking to Sanne was that she understood the complexity of my situation and the fact that we can’t really separate our work lives from our personal lives, especially in creative professions.”
– Nikita Mandhani (Indian journalist, filmmaker, audience strategist, and media trainer)
Images from the workbook
Who is this for?
- Journalists who are staff or freelance, of any beat, and especially if the work involves deadlines, crisis reporting, or constant reactivity.
- Communication managers and comms professionals who are navigating crisis messaging and organizational pressure.
- Content creators and online storytellers dealing with algorithm pressure, burnout, a lack of confidence, or the always-on nature of the work.
- NGO and public-interest communicators who are covering hard problems day after day, in a world that doesn’t seem to move in a positive direction.
- Anyone in storytelling or media work who recognizes the pressures described here.
This isn’t for you if:
- You’re looking for clinical therapy or crisis intervention. Please consult your doctor first. This program is built for generally healthy people.
- You want a quick productivity hack. This program shifts how you relate to your work and pace; it’s not a 10-min. fix. You design your own well-being.
Did you attend the Mental Health in Journalism Summit 2026?
Enjoy a discount of 25% with code “SUMMIT”!
3 problems you’ll tackle with this program
Problem 1: “I’m scrolling wellness content between assignments, at midnight after filing a story, or when I can’t sleep. I don’t know where to start!”
You’re often searching online for tips and tricks on how to release stress or eat healthier. You look at other people’s successes and want the same but don’t know where to start.
This program helps you feel better based on what you are doing already and how to use the tools you have to make improvements. Since every body is different, you know best what works for you. Instead of another list of tips, you get a structured way to notice what’s already working and build from there.
Problem 2: “I tried yoga, and I don’t like it. I respect people who meditate, but it’s not for me.”
This is a common problem: people who want to improve their well-being think that only yoga or meditation really work. Sometimes, coaches also tell them that. Surely, there are many forms of yoga and meditation to pick from. But this course uses the theory behind these spiritual practices: how to pay attention to the present moment. What if you always exercise with muscle strength and still feel stiff? The program doesn’t offer yoga or meditation as an answer to all your problems; it draws on insights from these practices for you to apply to what you do like.
Problem 3: “What if I buy the program and I don’t understand parts? I like that it’s self-paced, but what if I can’t do it by myself?”
The program opens up twice a year for a cohort week, where you can meet others, share experiences, and also ask Sanne questions. Your irregular schedule and the (breaking) news or deadlines that blow up your routine make a self-paced course ideal. And whenever you want to ask something, Sanne offers group coaching for the first three months after buying the course.
Buy now and start later. Did you attend the Mental Health in Journalism Summit 2026?
Enjoy a discount of 25% with code “SUMMIT”!
Modules
Introduction
Module 1:
3
Module 2:
Module 3:
Module 4:
Module 5:
Module 6:
Module 7:
Plus, in every module:
- A downloadable, 60 (!) pages workbook with reflection prompts, practical exercises, and space to do the work.
- Several audio exercises for breathing and relaxation that you can do immediately.
- Sources and further reading for anyone who wants to go deeper: book tips, in-depth articles, etc.
- Assignments built for working life; five minutes here, a short walk there, not another hour-long homework block.
The workbook helps you design your own practice; you’re not being made dependent on extra subscriptions. What you see is what you get!
Investment
The Mental Health in Journalism Summit
$157 (25% off) by using the coupon code: “SUMMIT”
Available until October 16th, one week after presenting this program at the Mental Health in Journalism Summit.
Regular price
$197
Seven modules of holistic well-being built specifically for media, communication, and public-interest professionals, based on knowledge about well-being from holistic lifestyle coaching and (science-based) spiritual practices such as yin yoga and meditation.
If cost is a genuine barrier where you are, DM me: sanne [at] inclusivejournalism [dot] com.
A reduced rate is available.
Sanne offers group coaching sessions up to three months after you buy.
I’m Sanne,
founder of Inclusive Journalism
I’ve spent close to 20 years in media, mostly in managerial positions and with well-being as a “hobby” on the side. I was lucky enough to find a good yoga instructor when I was exploring how to improve my work-life balance. I’d never recommend yoga to everyone, though, because every body is different. I want you to find your own path and practice.
It wasn’t until I studied lifestyle coaching at the Holistic Coaching Academy in Bilthoven, the Netherlands, that all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place: yin yoga, meditation, solutions journalism, and decolonial critique all center care at their core. Since then, I’ve been guiding media professionals in 1:1 sessions and off-site retreats. The Human Pace is a self-paced program, with a community week twice a year. Check out the announcement in the newsletters and on social media.
Free session about the course:
Bringing this to your organization
I’ve delivered a shorter version of The Human Pace as a live, facilitated training for organizations before — including the Pulitzer Center — combining the course content with real-time sessions and optional peer support and assignments for your team.
Interested in this for your newsroom or organization? Let’s connect to talk through what would work for you. Send me an email: sanne [at] inclusivejournalism [dot] com or:
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