Christina Caron

I am a New York Times reporter based in New York, where I cover mental health.

What I Cover

On the Well desk we aim to share expert advice and reputable research in a useful and empathetic way that helps our readers live better lives. Although I often write about depression, anxiety and other mental health problems, I also like to focus on solutions. Stories about how people solve problems and create meaningful change in their lives or the lives of others are ones I’m interested in pursuing.

I’m especially drawn to the connection between art and mental well-being; strategies to manage stress, anxiety or anger; psychiatric medications; the mental health of teenagers; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; cannabis; how screens affect mental health; and suicide prevention.

My Background

I have been a journalist for nearly two decades, but I didn’t pursue this field directly after college. When I graduated from Mount Holyoke College, where I completed pre-med coursework and earned a degree in anthropology, I moved to Boston to work as a clinical research coordinator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, interviewing patients who had undergone bone marrow transplants.

But as an undergraduate, I had worked on the weekly school newspaper as a writer and editor, and eventually created its health and science section. This experience was so meaningful that I decided to switch careers and attend the Missouri School of Journalism, where I earned a master’s degree. I then joined ABC News and, later, NBC News before starting at The Times in 2014.

In 2022, I received the National Press Foundation’s Carolyn C. Mattingly award for my coverage of how Covid affected mental health in the United States, particularly among Black teenagers.

Journalistic Ethics

As a Times journalist, I share the values and adhere to the standards of integrity outlined in The Times’s Ethical Journalism Handbook. I do not attend galas or fund-raisers sponsored by organizations that The Times covers, nor do I accept gifts from anyone that I might write about. When citing specific research studies, I review their merits and limitations with outside experts and sometimes ask The Times’s polling unit to weigh in on the study’s credibility. I do not have any financial or other ties to biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

I fact check rigorously.

And when talking with patients and families who are sharing personal stories, I ensure that the process is transparent and that they are looped into every step before publication. Sometimes I interview sources who wish to remain anonymous and, when appropriate, I vet their claims with other sources or with documents.

• Email: [email protected]

• Instagram: @caron_nyt

• Anonymous tips: nytimes.com/tips