Discussing Sensitive Topics as a Podcaster
by Jessica Garrison
January 2024
If you ask anyone who’s in the podcasting industry how they came to be where they are now, you’d most likely get a response filled with passion, realization, and epiphanies. To have a podcast means to have something that’s worth talking about and sharing with the world. Currently, I’m the blog writer for The F.E.E.L Podcast, an interview-based podcast that supports women’s empowerment and journeys to living unapologetically. With this kind of podcast, our team members have to be cautious and sensitive about what our guests have to say. We’ve heard stories from women who have been in abusive relationships, suffered from eating disorders, have mental illnesses, and who come from a variety of backgrounds.
It’s a priority for our team to take care of our guests, especially when they’re reliving difficult memories with us. It’s our job to not only protect our guests but to also put out a podcast episode that is respectful to the subject they’re speaking to - listeners of the podcast and readers of the blogs also deserve the utmost care when bringing up sensitive dialogue.
I go through a mental list when writing the blog on an episode to ensure I’m being respectful to our guests and readers. Even if there isn’t a written feature to your podcast episodes, such as a blog or newsletter, there are still tips to follow that can help you handle these topics as a podcaster.
Respect Boundaries
Not only do we share our talking points ahead of time with our guests, giving them time to prepare an answer or object to something in particular, but we also let them know that they are in control. If they don’t want to discuss something, they don’t have to. Even if it seems “juicy” or something we know our listeners would be interested in hearing, we have no credibility if we have no respect for our guests. We also offer the opportunity to edit sections out if a guest has regrets later about something they said.
We’re not trying to expose a politician for their lies or sell a product with a lack of integrity. Our team in particular is in the podcast industry to listen to women tell their honest stories, and exposing their secrets is not the way for our guests to find empowerment and embrace their authentic selves. If they don’t want to discuss something, then we respect their boundaries. There are times when genuine questions come up in conversation that may lead away from the original talking points, which is natural, but you still have to pay attention to the body language and openness of the guest. It isn’t personal to you as a professional; it’s difficult to share private stories on a platform that could be listened to by anyone who chooses to tune in.
Feature Trigger Warnings
When we air an episode that could be potentially triggering to others, such as abuse or addiction, I’ll put a trigger warning at the beginning of my blog. The blogs are released before the release of the episode to show a little bit of what’s coming up and to get our listeners excited. We must be transparent with potentially upsetting topics and, even though we want as many listeners as possible, it’s more important to have our listeners be safe.
Offer Support
In addition to featuring trigger warnings at the beginning of my blogs, I’ll feature helpful links at the end. It can be irresponsible to open up a dialogue about sensitive subjects and then not feature any ways to help. Offering resources, such as phone numbers to call or websites to learn more information, can make a world of difference. Even if the links go untouched, I still need to offer that support in any way I can. We also encourage people to reach out through our messages or emails if they have any concerns or stories they’d like to share.
The lessons we learn and the stories we hear are far more beneficial than sensationalizing a triggering topic. Even letting people know there is a 24-hour hotline for whatever they may be struggling with can be a huge help. If we can change one person’s life with our work, then it’s all worth it.
Keep an Open Mind
A majority of the guests we had on the first four seasons of The F.E.E.L Podcast were people that our host and founder, Melissa Crook, knew personally. However, during our latest season, we’ve been able to reach out and connect with an incredible amount of people who have missions and stories to share from across the globe. When listening to someone’s experience, particularly someone whom you don’t know very well, it’s so easy to make a quick judgment. From a young age, we’re taught, “If you work hard, you’ll be successful.” So if someone is in poverty or is struggling to make ends meet, society will make a blanket statement that they’re in that position for a reason. There are many obstacles people may face, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, addiction, or abuse, and these are the issues we need to consider while listening. When discussing sensitive subject matter with your guests, it’s so important to stay open-minded, despite what you may have thought or been taught before.
Listen
Podcasts are all about talking. I mean, that’s what podcasts are here for! However, when your guest is speaking about something sensitive, whether it be something from their childhood or a traumatic event they’re recounting, listening is the best possible tool. Sometimes it’s best to take a step back from a subject and let the person who experienced it tell it in their own time, how they remember it.
It’s easy to get caught up in the conversation, constantly wanting to add in your anecdote or experience, but you invited them onto your podcast for a reason: to listen to your guest tell their story. It can take a lot of courage for someone to share their story on a public platform, and interrupting them or taking the conversation elsewhere may make them lose the bravery they had to share their authentic thoughts.
You might also have to admit that you don’t know much about a specific topic your guest is bringing up, and that’s okay. It’s so important to listen, have an open mind, and be ready to learn about new experiences. There’s also a possibility you’ll have to do extra research, speak to others about the topic, and be ready to just listen. Sometimes all people need is an open ear, ready to listen to them.
It’s difficult to discuss sensitive topics, especially on a recorded podcast with someone you don’t know. However, some of the most difficult conversations to have are the most important ones. We must create a dialogue for those to share their thoughts and emotions, as well as create a safe space for these conversations to be had since those places are few and far between. If we can’t speak out about sensitive subjects to learn and grow in the podcast community, where else could we possibly do it?
Jessica Garrison is a voracious writer, bookworm, and movie buff. She is the writer for the F.E.E.L Podcast and Embracing Layers Network, where she creates blogs and newsletters featuring influential guests and upcoming episodes. @embracinglayers