Holding the Weight of the World: A Person-Centred Counsellor’s View on the News

News is reported almost instantly across the world

In a world where news is available 24/7, we are constantly invited into stories of conflict, crisis, and catastrophe. Whether it’s war, injustice, environmental disaster, or political upheaval, what we see and hear in the media has an emotional impact — even if we don’t always recognise it.

As a person-centred counsellor, I often sit with individuals who feel overwhelmed, numb, anxious, or helpless in response to what’s happening in the world. They ask questions like:

Why do I feel so heavy when I read the headlines?

Is there something wrong with me for switching off?

How do I stay informed without falling apart?

From a person-centred perspective, these are not just questions about the news — they are questions about being human in a world full of suffering.

The World in Our Living Rooms

Carl Rogers taught us to listen to people as they are, in the moment, without judgement or agenda. If someone brings the news into the therapy room — whether directly or indirectly — then that is part of their experience that deserves space and attention.

The news doesn’t just inform; it shapes emotional landscapes. A photo of a displaced family, a video of violence, a political scandal — these aren’t neutral bits of data. They evoke grief, anger, fear, and compassion. And when those feelings have nowhere to go, they can become overwhelming.

As counsellors, we don’t tell clients how to think about global events. Instead, we offer presence. We sit with the heartbreak. We make room for the sadness, the disillusionment, and even the numbness. Because all of it is real.

The Empathic Cost of Caring

Many people come to counselling because they feel “too much.” They say things like, “I can’t stop thinking about the war,” or “I feel guilty for having a good life when others are suffering.” In person-centred therapy, we honour that depth of empathy — not as a problem to fix, but as something sacred.

This kind of pain is not weakness. It’s sensitivity. And sensitivity, when heard and held, can become strength.

Rogers believed in the actualising tendency — the idea that people have an inner drive toward growth, healing, and wholeness. But for that growth to occur, people need psychological safety. In a world that feels unsafe, chaotic, or cruel, therapy can be one of the few places where someone is allowed to be exactly as they are — confused, despairing, hopeful, or disconnected.

The Right to Disconnect

Some clients feel guilty for “switching off” from the news. They fear being uninformed or insensitive. But person-centred therapy does not impose conditions of worth. There is no moral high ground for how much media you consume or how you respond to it.

What matters is how you experience your own reaction. Are you exhausted? Anxious? Dissociating? Angry? Compassion-fatigued? We explore those feelings, not as problems to solve, but as signals pointing toward your truth.

Sometimes, turning off the news is not avoidance — it’s self-preservation.

Compassion in a Noisy World

The media often presents the world in binaries — good vs. bad, right vs. wrong. But the human experience is more nuanced. Person-centred counselling embraces this complexity. We don’t force hope. We don’t rush solutions. We accompany.

In a world full of noise, being deeply listened to — without agenda or correction — can be profoundly healing. In the words of Carl Rogers: “When someone really hears you without passing judgement on you, without trying to take responsibility for you, without trying to mould you, it feels damn good.”

That kind of presence becomes even more vital when the world feels overwhelming.

Final Thoughts

We live in times where the pain of the world is delivered straight to our devices. It's natural to feel affected. It’s also natural to need boundaries, rest, and reflection.

From a person-centred view, our reactions to the news — whether emotional, cognitive, or physical — are part of our wholeness. There is no right or wrong way to respond. There is only your experience, and the invitation to be with it fully, in safety, with compassion.

If you find yourself burdened by what’s happening in the world, know this: You are not alone. And you are not broken. You are responding to a hurting world with a human heart.

Need space to process?

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the world, counselling can provide a safe and supportive environment to explore what you’re feeling — without judgement, advice, or pressure.

Call 07719969230 to learn more or book a session.