January 10, 2025 • 13 mins
Welcome Back to the Reflection Room!
This bite-sized episode offers a quick and engaging glimpse into the key highlights, thought-provoking moments, and valuable takeaways from Episode #108: The Emotional Toll and Triumphs of Live Interpreting with Denise Bobadilha. Designed for listeners on the go, The Reflection Room condenses the conversation into a brief, impactful reflection, perfect for sparking curiosity or revisiting the main ideas.
Tune in for an insightful recap and then dive into the full episode for the complete story!
Disclaimer: The audio in this episode has been enhanced using AI-generated elements. While every effort has been made to maintain the authenticity and quality of the content, the voices are not human-produced. Thank you for embracing this creative approach as we continue to innovate and explore new storytelling techniques.
Share your thoughts about this episode!
Thanks for tuning in, till next time! 👋
Connect with Mireya Pérez, Host
www.brandtheinterpreter.com
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome back to the Reflection Room.
This time we're going to belooking at something pretty
interesting.
Have you ever thought about allthe work that goes into making
sure you can understand the news?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Oh, yeah, for sure, especially when it comes from
all over the world.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, today we're going to be looking specifically
at broadcast interpreting forlive television news and to help
us with this, we're going to betaking a deep dive into the
experiences of Denise Bobadilla,an experienced conference
interpreter who works in thisfield, and she interprets
Portuguese.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Wow.
I mean, most people probablydon't even think about the fact
that someone's doing that.
You know live.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Right, it's one of those things that's hidden in
plain sight.
You're watching the news andall of a sudden you're hearing a
translator's voice, right.
But you don't necessarily thinkabout all the work that's going
into it and especially all thepressure.
I mean, can you imagine tryingto interpret breaking news in
real time, the whole worldwatching?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Yeah, that must be incredibly demanding.
I mean, the stakes are so high.
It's not like a casualconversation.
You know, these are events thatare shaping the world.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Absolutely, and what I find so fascinating about
Denise's story is that sheactually started out as a
journalist herself.
She spent 20 years covering allsorts of beats, from crime to
tourism.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Really 20 years, that's a long time.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
It is, it is and it makes you wonder.
You know, did those years injournalism kind of give her an
advantage when it came tonavigating the fast-paced world
of live news interpretation?
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Oh, I bet it did.
You know, journalists have tothink on their feet, process
information quickly, communicateclearly under pressure.
Those are all essential skillsfor an interpreter, especially
in a live broadcast setting.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
And she actually talks about developing kind of
an editor mindset in her work,which I thought was really
insightful.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Editor mindset huh.
What do you think she means by?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
that suggest that she's not just interpreting
words.
You know she's thinking aboutthe audience.
She's trying to shape themessage in a way that's clear,
concise and engaging for viewers, just like an editor would.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yeah.
Yeah, I see what you mean.
Like she's taking on thatresponsibility to ensure that
the message is not only accurate, but also impactful.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Exactly.
And it's not just aboutconveying information, you know.
It's also about capturing theemotion, the nuances, the kind
of things that can get lost intranslation if you're not
careful.
I bet having that journalisticbackground really helps with
that.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
I would think so too.
You know, being able tounderstand the bigger picture,
the context surrounding thestory, that's got to be crucial
for accurately conveying themessage.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Oh, absolutely, and you know that editor mindset
might be one reason why she wasable to land such a coveted role
with CNN Brazil.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Oh wow, CNN Brazil.
How did that come about?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Well, it seems like a bit of serendipity and a whole
lot of savvy networking.
When she heard that CNN Brazilwas launching, she reached out
to her old journalism contactsand was basically like hey, I'm
an interpreter now.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And guess what You're going to need me.
Wow, what a bold move.
I mean good for her forrecognizing the opportunity and
going for it.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, I mean it paid off right.
She got the gig in February2020.
And so her first live TVinterpretation was a Democratic
Party debate between BernieSanders and Joe Biden.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Wow, talk about jumping right into the deep end.
A political debate on live TV.
That must have been intense.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I can't even imagine.
And then, just a few weekslater, the pandemic hit.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Oh gosh, so she went from a high stakes political
debate to a global pandemic.
That must have been a whirlwindof a few months.
It was.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Suddenly she's interpreting live coverage of
the pandemic, the science, thelockdowns, the economic fallout
of the pandemic, the science,the lockdowns, the economic
fallout.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
It's heavy stuff, and she's dealing with it all in
real time while alsoexperiencing the pandemic
herself.
That's incredible.
It makes you think about theemotional toll of that kind of
work, especially during such adifficult and uncertain time.
I mean, we talk about frontlineworkers, but interpreters are
kind of on the front lines ofinformation, aren't they?
They're the ones processing andconveying these really intense
and sometimes traumatic events.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
It's so true, and you know, we often hear about
secondary trauma in professionsthat deal with difficult or
traumatic situations, liketherapists and first responders.
I wonder if interpreters,particularly those working in
broadcast news, experiencesomething similar working in
broadcast news experiencesomething similar, I'd say it's
highly likely.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
they're constantly exposed to these intense
situations, these stories ofsuffering and loss, and they
have to remain composed andfocused while conveying that
information accurately.
It's got to have an impact.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Denise actually talks about the emotional toll of
interpreting live coverage ofthe pandemic.
She describes having to reallyfocus on the message, on the
facts, and kind ofcompartmentalize those emotions
in the moment so that she can doher job effectively.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
That makes sense.
It's like a defense mechanism,a way to protect yourself from
being overwhelmed by theemotional weight of what you're
interpreting.
But it also raises the questionof how you process those
emotions later on.
You can't just bottle them upforever.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Right, it's got to come out eventually, yeah, so
what did she say about how shecopes with that?
How does she disconnect fromthe weight of the news and
recharge?
Well, she emphasizes theimportance of really simple
things like spending time innature, connecting with her
family and making sure she getssome exercise, and she even has
a kind of a pre-show ritual forparticularly tough assignments.
(05:24):
You know, just to kind oflighten the mood.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Oh really, what's that?
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Watching cat videos on YouTube.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
I love that.
It's a good reminder that evenin the most serious of
professions, finding thosemoments of levity, of joy is so
important.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Absolutely.
It's about finding that balanceright, Because the work can be
so intense, so emotionallydraining.
You know, not every story sheinterpreted was about abstract
statistics or scientific updates.
There were some deeply personalstories that she shared that
really stayed with her and Ithink they offer a really
powerful glimpse into the humanside of this work.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I'd love to hear about those stories, you know,
the ones that transcend just theheadlines and really touch on
something deeper, something wecan all connect to.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
There's one that I found particularly moving, and I
think you will too.
It was about a father who hadlost his entire family in the
Ukraine war.
Oh my God, and what he foundout was just devastating.
He saw a photo online, just aphoto of their luggage, and he
knew that's how he knew theywere gone.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Oh wow, that is just heartbreaking.
The power of a single image toconvey so much loss is
incredible and terrifying.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
It really is.
And Denise was interpretingthis story live with the news
anchor, visibly emotional, evencrying, on air.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I can only imagine how challenging it must have
been for her to remain composedwhile conveying the raw emotion
of that moment.
Did she talk about how shemanaged that?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
She admitted that afterwards.
She was shaking, couldn't speakand had to take a break.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
That's understandable .
It's a powerful reminder thatthis work demands incredible
emotional resilience and ithighlights that potential for
vicarious trauma.
You know the idea that we canbe affected by other people's
trauma even if we haven'tdirectly experienced it
ourselves.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
It's like that concept of secondary trauma we
talked about earlier.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And it makes you wonder are there specific
strategies or resourcesavailable to help interpreters
manage the emotional impact ofthis work?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
I think that's an important question to explore.
There's a growing body ofresearch on vicarious trauma and
its effects on variousprofessions.
It would be interesting to seewhat insights that research
might offer for interpretersworking in these high-stress
environments.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
It would be, because it's not just about individual
coping mechanisms, is it?
It's also about theresponsibility of news
organizations to provideadequate support and training to
help their interpretersnavigate these challenges.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Absolutely.
It's about creating a workenvironment that recognizes the
unique demands of thisprofession and provides the
necessary resources to supportthose who are doing this vital
work.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
And you know, speaking of challenges, denise
also opens up about somethingthat I think a lot of people can
relate to, regardless of theirperfection imposter syndrome.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Imposter syndrome.
Huh, Now how does that manifestfor someone who's working at
the top of their field, likeDenise?
I mean, she's interpreting forCNN.
You don't get there by accident.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, it's that feeling like you know you don't
really belong, like you're notas good as everyone thinks you
are, like you're just waiting tobe found out, Right, like at
any moment someone's going torealize that you're a fraud, and
it's so interesting how thosefeelings can persist even when,
like in Denise's case, there'sall this evidence to the
contrary.
I mean, she's working at a topnews organization interpreting
(08:31):
these high profile events.
You would think that would beenough to silence those
self-doubts.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
You'd think so, wouldn't you?
But it often doesn't work thatway.
So how does she deal with it?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Well, there's this one story.
She tells about a conversationwith her therapist.
Her therapist asked her wouldyou be where you are today if
you were truly bad at this?
Would you have all theseclients, all these opportunities
, all this recognition?
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Wow, that's a really powerful question.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Right.
I mean it really makes you stopand think, it forces you to
kind of step outside of thosenegative thoughts and look at
the evidence and your actualaccomplishments.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Like sometimes.
We need that outsideperspective to help us see our
own strengths, don't we?
Speaker 2 (09:11):
We do.
It's like we get so caught upin our own heads that we forget
to acknowledge all the amazingthings we've achieved.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Makes me think about Denise's background in
journalism.
You know, as a journalistyou're trained to be objective,
to look at the facts.
Maybe that same approach helpsher when it comes to assessing
her own skills.
It's like she can separatethose imposter syndrome feelings
from the reality of herexperience and her success.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
That's a great point.
It's like she can apply thatsame journalistic rigor to her
own self-evaluation.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Right, which is fascinating when you think about
it.
It shows how our pastexperiences can influence how we
approach challenges in allsorts of unexpected ways.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
And speaking of past experiences, you know, it's
amazing how Denise seems to havecarried that passion for
storytelling, for connectingpeople with information, from
her journalism career into herwork as an interpreter.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Totally, and it comes through so clearly in the way
she describes her work.
She even uses this reallybeautiful metaphor she calls it
matchmaking.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Matchmaking yeah, that's an interesting choice of
words.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Right, and what she means by that is that she sees
herself as connecting peoplewith information, with
understanding, even in the midstof chaos.
That's so powerful.
It really captures the essenceof what interpreters do, doesn't
it?
They're creating thoseconnections that allow people to
understand each other, even inthe most difficult of
circumstances.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
It's so true, and you know she gets the most amazing
feedback from viewers people whowrite in and say things like
thank you, I wouldn't know whatwas going on in the world
without your voice.
It makes you realize that, eventhough they're often working
behind the scenes, interpretersare really shaping public
discourse, influencing how weunderstand and respond to events
around the world.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
It's a reminder that their work is so essential, so
valuable, even if we don'talways see it.
So as we kind of wrap up thisdeep dive into the world of
broadcast interpreting, I'mcurious what advice does Denise
have for someone who's juststarting out in this field?
Speaker 2 (11:03):
She actually keeps it pretty simple.
She says keep studying and takerisks.
It really speaks to that ideaof continuous learning, of
pushing yourself beyond yourcomfort zone.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And embracing those challenges right, Because that's
where growth happens.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Exactly and you know it's a perfect reflection of her
own journey.
I mean, she transitioned from asuccessful career in journalism
to this whole other world ofbroadcast interpreting.
Talk about a risk, but she didit.
She embraced that challenge andshe found a way to really align
her passion with her skills.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
And that's what makes this deep dive so compelling.
It's not just about thetechnical side of broadcast
interpreting.
It's about the human storybehind it.
It's about courage andresilience and the power of
those invisible roles to reallyshape our understanding of the
world.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
So well said, it's been an incredible journey
exploring this hidden world ofbroadcast interpreting.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
I couldn't agree more , and I think it leaves us with
some really important questionsto consider.
You know, what role does liveinterpretation play in shaping
public perception?
How do those subtle choices,those nuances in language affect
how viewers understand andconnect with a story?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Yeah, those are big questions.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
They are.
I mean, it's so easy to justtake for granted the work that
goes into making informationaccessible across languages and
cultures, you know.
But, as we've heard from Denise, those decisions that
interpreters make, they reallydo matter.
They have the power to shapeour understanding of really
complex issues.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Absolutely, and you know, it can even influence our
emotional responses to a storyand how we engage with the world
around us.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
So the next time you're watching a news report
and you see an interpreter, youknow really pay attention not
just to the words but toeverything else that's being
communicated.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
The emotion, the tone , the pauses all of it.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Think about the decisions that interpreters
making in real time to try toconvey not just the information
but the feeling, the context,the human story behind the words
.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
It's really quite a skill.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
It is.
It's a reminder that there's somany people working behind the
scenes to help us understand theworld around us, and their work
is so important.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
It really is.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
So, as we wrap up, I want to leave you with this
thought what if, like Denise,you know, we all try to approach
our lives with that same kindof curiosity, that same
willingness to keep learning, totake risks?
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Oh, I like that.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I think we could all learn a lot from her story.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
And who knows, maybe we'll even discover some hidden
talents or passions along theway.
Well said, this has been such afascinating conversation and,
who knows, maybe your story willbe our next reflection in the
Reflection Room.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
We'd love to hear your thoughts, so share your
reflections and insights with uson social media.
Thanks for joining us in theReflection Room, where we delve
into inspiring stories anduncover the wisdom that can
guide us on our own unique paths.
We'll catch you next time.
Welcome back to the Reflection Room.
This time we're going to belooking at something pretty
interesting.
Have you ever thought about allthe work that goes into making
sure you can understand the news?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Oh, yeah, for sure, especially when it comes from
all over the world.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, today we're going to be looking specifically
at broadcast interpreting forlive television news and to help
us with this, we're going to betaking a deep dive into the
experiences of Denise Bobadilla,an experienced conference
interpreter who works in thisfield, and she interprets
Portuguese.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Wow.
I mean, most people probablydon't even think about the fact
that someone's doing that.
You know live.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Right, it's one of those things that's hidden in
plain sight.
You're watching the news andall of a sudden you're hearing a
translator's voice, right.
But you don't necessarily thinkabout all the work that's going
into it and especially all thepressure.
I mean, can you imagine tryingto interpret breaking news in
real time, the whole worldwatching?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Yeah, that must be incredibly demanding.
I mean, the stakes are so high.
It's not like a casualconversation.
You know, these are events thatare shaping the world.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Absolutely, and what I find so fascinating about
Denise's story is that sheactually started out as a
journalist herself.
She spent 20 years covering allsorts of beats, from crime to
tourism.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Really 20 years, that's a long time.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
It is, it is and it makes you wonder.
You know, did those years injournalism kind of give her an
advantage when it came tonavigating the fast-paced world
of live news interpretation?
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Oh, I bet it did.
You know, journalists have tothink on their feet, process
information quickly, communicateclearly under pressure.
Those are all essential skillsfor an interpreter, especially
in a live broadcast setting.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
And she actually talks about developing kind of
an editor mindset in her work,which I thought was really
insightful.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Editor mindset huh.
What do you think she means by?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
that suggest that she's not just interpreting
words.
You know she's thinking aboutthe audience.
She's trying to shape themessage in a way that's clear,
concise and engaging for viewers, just like an editor would.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yeah.
Yeah, I see what you mean.
Like she's taking on thatresponsibility to ensure that
the message is not only accurate, but also impactful.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Exactly.
And it's not just aboutconveying information, you know.
It's also about capturing theemotion, the nuances, the kind
of things that can get lost intranslation if you're not
careful.
I bet having that journalisticbackground really helps with
that.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
I would think so too.
You know, being able tounderstand the bigger picture,
the context surrounding thestory, that's got to be crucial
for accurately conveying themessage.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Oh, absolutely, and you know that editor mindset
might be one reason why she wasable to land such a coveted role
with CNN Brazil.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Oh wow, CNN Brazil.
How did that come about?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Well, it seems like a bit of serendipity and a whole
lot of savvy networking.
When she heard that CNN Brazilwas launching, she reached out
to her old journalism contactsand was basically like hey, I'm
an interpreter now.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And guess what You're going to need me.
Wow, what a bold move.
I mean good for her forrecognizing the opportunity and
going for it.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, I mean it paid off right.
She got the gig in February2020.
And so her first live TVinterpretation was a Democratic
Party debate between BernieSanders and Joe Biden.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Wow, talk about jumping right into the deep end.
A political debate on live TV.
That must have been intense.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I can't even imagine.
And then, just a few weekslater, the pandemic hit.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Oh gosh, so she went from a high stakes political
debate to a global pandemic.
That must have been a whirlwindof a few months.
It was.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Suddenly she's interpreting live coverage of
the pandemic, the science, thelockdowns, the economic fallout
of the pandemic, the science,the lockdowns, the economic
fallout.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
It's heavy stuff, and she's dealing with it all in
real time while alsoexperiencing the pandemic
herself.
That's incredible.
It makes you think about theemotional toll of that kind of
work, especially during such adifficult and uncertain time.
I mean, we talk about frontlineworkers, but interpreters are
kind of on the front lines ofinformation, aren't they?
They're the ones processing andconveying these really intense
and sometimes traumatic events.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
It's so true, and you know, we often hear about
secondary trauma in professionsthat deal with difficult or
traumatic situations, liketherapists and first responders.
I wonder if interpreters,particularly those working in
broadcast news, experiencesomething similar working in
broadcast news experiencesomething similar, I'd say it's
highly likely.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
they're constantly exposed to these intense
situations, these stories ofsuffering and loss, and they
have to remain composed andfocused while conveying that
information accurately.
It's got to have an impact.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Denise actually talks about the emotional toll of
interpreting live coverage ofthe pandemic.
She describes having to reallyfocus on the message, on the
facts, and kind ofcompartmentalize those emotions
in the moment so that she can doher job effectively.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
That makes sense.
It's like a defense mechanism,a way to protect yourself from
being overwhelmed by theemotional weight of what you're
interpreting.
But it also raises the questionof how you process those
emotions later on.
You can't just bottle them upforever.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Right, it's got to come out eventually, yeah, so
what did she say about how shecopes with that?
How does she disconnect fromthe weight of the news and
recharge?
Well, she emphasizes theimportance of really simple
things like spending time innature, connecting with her
family and making sure she getssome exercise, and she even has
a kind of a pre-show ritual forparticularly tough assignments.
(05:24):
You know, just to kind oflighten the mood.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Oh really, what's that?
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Watching cat videos on YouTube.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
I love that.
It's a good reminder that evenin the most serious of
professions, finding thosemoments of levity, of joy is so
important.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Absolutely.
It's about finding that balanceright, Because the work can be
so intense, so emotionallydraining.
You know, not every story sheinterpreted was about abstract
statistics or scientific updates.
There were some deeply personalstories that she shared that
really stayed with her and Ithink they offer a really
powerful glimpse into the humanside of this work.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I'd love to hear about those stories, you know,
the ones that transcend just theheadlines and really touch on
something deeper, something wecan all connect to.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
There's one that I found particularly moving, and I
think you will too.
It was about a father who hadlost his entire family in the
Ukraine war.
Oh my God, and what he foundout was just devastating.
He saw a photo online, just aphoto of their luggage, and he
knew that's how he knew theywere gone.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Oh wow, that is just heartbreaking.
The power of a single image toconvey so much loss is
incredible and terrifying.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
It really is.
And Denise was interpretingthis story live with the news
anchor, visibly emotional, evencrying, on air.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I can only imagine how challenging it must have
been for her to remain composedwhile conveying the raw emotion
of that moment.
Did she talk about how shemanaged that?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
She admitted that afterwards.
She was shaking, couldn't speakand had to take a break.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
That's understandable .
It's a powerful reminder thatthis work demands incredible
emotional resilience and ithighlights that potential for
vicarious trauma.
You know the idea that we canbe affected by other people's
trauma even if we haven'tdirectly experienced it
ourselves.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
It's like that concept of secondary trauma we
talked about earlier.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And it makes you wonder are there specific
strategies or resourcesavailable to help interpreters
manage the emotional impact ofthis work?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
I think that's an important question to explore.
There's a growing body ofresearch on vicarious trauma and
its effects on variousprofessions.
It would be interesting to seewhat insights that research
might offer for interpretersworking in these high-stress
environments.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
It would be, because it's not just about individual
coping mechanisms, is it?
It's also about theresponsibility of news
organizations to provideadequate support and training to
help their interpretersnavigate these challenges.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Absolutely.
It's about creating a workenvironment that recognizes the
unique demands of thisprofession and provides the
necessary resources to supportthose who are doing this vital
work.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
And you know, speaking of challenges, denise
also opens up about somethingthat I think a lot of people can
relate to, regardless of theirperfection imposter syndrome.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Imposter syndrome.
Huh, Now how does that manifestfor someone who's working at
the top of their field, likeDenise?
I mean, she's interpreting forCNN.
You don't get there by accident.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, it's that feeling like you know you don't
really belong, like you're notas good as everyone thinks you
are, like you're just waiting tobe found out, Right, like at
any moment someone's going torealize that you're a fraud, and
it's so interesting how thosefeelings can persist even when,
like in Denise's case, there'sall this evidence to the
contrary.
I mean, she's working at a topnews organization interpreting
(08:31):
these high profile events.
You would think that would beenough to silence those
self-doubts.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
You'd think so, wouldn't you?
But it often doesn't work thatway.
So how does she deal with it?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Well, there's this one story.
She tells about a conversationwith her therapist.
Her therapist asked her wouldyou be where you are today if
you were truly bad at this?
Would you have all theseclients, all these opportunities
, all this recognition?
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Wow, that's a really powerful question.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Right.
I mean it really makes you stopand think, it forces you to
kind of step outside of thosenegative thoughts and look at
the evidence and your actualaccomplishments.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Like sometimes.
We need that outsideperspective to help us see our
own strengths, don't we?
Speaker 2 (09:11):
We do.
It's like we get so caught upin our own heads that we forget
to acknowledge all the amazingthings we've achieved.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Makes me think about Denise's background in
journalism.
You know, as a journalistyou're trained to be objective,
to look at the facts.
Maybe that same approach helpsher when it comes to assessing
her own skills.
It's like she can separatethose imposter syndrome feelings
from the reality of herexperience and her success.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
That's a great point.
It's like she can apply thatsame journalistic rigor to her
own self-evaluation.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Right, which is fascinating when you think about
it.
It shows how our pastexperiences can influence how we
approach challenges in allsorts of unexpected ways.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
And speaking of past experiences, you know, it's
amazing how Denise seems to havecarried that passion for
storytelling, for connectingpeople with information, from
her journalism career into herwork as an interpreter.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Totally, and it comes through so clearly in the way
she describes her work.
She even uses this reallybeautiful metaphor she calls it
matchmaking.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Matchmaking yeah, that's an interesting choice of
words.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Right, and what she means by that is that she sees
herself as connecting peoplewith information, with
understanding, even in the midstof chaos.
That's so powerful.
It really captures the essenceof what interpreters do, doesn't
it?
They're creating thoseconnections that allow people to
understand each other, even inthe most difficult of
circumstances.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
It's so true, and you know she gets the most amazing
feedback from viewers people whowrite in and say things like
thank you, I wouldn't know whatwas going on in the world
without your voice.
It makes you realize that, eventhough they're often working
behind the scenes, interpretersare really shaping public
discourse, influencing how weunderstand and respond to events
around the world.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
It's a reminder that their work is so essential, so
valuable, even if we don'talways see it.
So as we kind of wrap up thisdeep dive into the world of
broadcast interpreting, I'mcurious what advice does Denise
have for someone who's juststarting out in this field?
Speaker 2 (11:03):
She actually keeps it pretty simple.
She says keep studying and takerisks.
It really speaks to that ideaof continuous learning, of
pushing yourself beyond yourcomfort zone.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And embracing those challenges right, Because that's
where growth happens.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Exactly and you know it's a perfect reflection of her
own journey.
I mean, she transitioned from asuccessful career in journalism
to this whole other world ofbroadcast interpreting.
Talk about a risk, but she didit.
She embraced that challenge andshe found a way to really align
her passion with her skills.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
And that's what makes this deep dive so compelling.
It's not just about thetechnical side of broadcast
interpreting.
It's about the human storybehind it.
It's about courage andresilience and the power of
those invisible roles to reallyshape our understanding of the
world.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
So well said, it's been an incredible journey
exploring this hidden world ofbroadcast interpreting.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
I couldn't agree more , and I think it leaves us with
some really important questionsto consider.
You know, what role does liveinterpretation play in shaping
public perception?
How do those subtle choices,those nuances in language affect
how viewers understand andconnect with a story?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Yeah, those are big questions.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
They are.
I mean, it's so easy to justtake for granted the work that
goes into making informationaccessible across languages and
cultures, you know.
But, as we've heard from Denise, those decisions that
interpreters make, they reallydo matter.
They have the power to shapeour understanding of really
complex issues.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Absolutely, and you know, it can even influence our
emotional responses to a storyand how we engage with the world
around us.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
So the next time you're watching a news report
and you see an interpreter, youknow really pay attention not
just to the words but toeverything else that's being
communicated.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
The emotion, the tone , the pauses all of it.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Think about the decisions that interpreters
making in real time to try toconvey not just the information
but the feeling, the context,the human story behind the words
.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
It's really quite a skill.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
It is.
It's a reminder that there's somany people working behind the
scenes to help us understand theworld around us, and their work
is so important.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
It really is.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
So, as we wrap up, I want to leave you with this
thought what if, like Denise,you know, we all try to approach
our lives with that same kindof curiosity, that same
willingness to keep learning, totake risks?
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Oh, I like that.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I think we could all learn a lot from her story.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
And who knows, maybe we'll even discover some hidden
talents or passions along theway.
Well said, this has been such afascinating conversation and,
who knows, maybe your story willbe our next reflection in the
Reflection Room.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
We'd love to hear your thoughts, so share your
reflections and insights with uson social media.
Thanks for joining us in theReflection Room, where we delve
into inspiring stories anduncover the wisdom that can
guide us on our own unique paths.
We'll catch you next time.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.