Analysts employed at US intelligence agencies like the CIA , NSA , and National Counterterrorism Center who watch graphic videos all day receive treatment from specialist psychologists to help them deal with the emotional trauma they experience . The analysts watch clips of beheadings , violent attacks and hard core pornography which sometimes features children in an effort to gain clues about where terrorists are and what they have planned . Intelligence agencies employ special psychiatrists and therapists to help the analysts cope with the 'extraordinary toll ' the work can have . The analysts watch graphic content and look at violent photos to gain clues about the actions of terrorists . Agencies like the CIA , NSA , and National Counterterrorism Center hire therapists to deal with analysts ' trauma . A CIA physician said : 'They 're being exposed to material that we 're not exposed to broadly in America ' In many cases , the therapists have watched the same material as their patients , five current and former intelligence officers told the Daily Beast . A senior physician with the CIA 's Office of Medical Services said : 'They 're being exposed to material that , day in and day out , we 're not exposed to broadly in America . 'That has its own sort of impact and own sort of , for lack of a better term , shock value . ' The content analysts watch is often violent , but it 's 'mostly ' pornography . Sometimes the graphic clips and photos contain encrypted messages and they must be checked to see if they hold useful information . The mental health professionals brief the analysts before they watch anything and remind them there are counseling resources which are available to them . Analysts often suffer sensations of sickness , bouts of grief , periods of depression and experience anger . Brendan Conlon , an ex-chief of the NSA 's Tailored Access Operations group , said : 'You have to watch the video and do a forensic analysis to see if there 's any lead to pass to along . 'The whole point is to make sure it does n't happen again . ' Analysts often suffer sensations of sickness , bouts of grief , and periods of depression . It is also common for analysts to feel angry or want to hold responsible parties accountable . NSA spokesperson Vanee Vines said in a statement : 'The Agency deeply values the health and wellness of our employees and provides a range of comprehensive services to address their needs . 'The NSA has long offered psychological consultation and intervention services to support our employees ' important work against today 's increasingly complex global threats . ' Before they are hired , the NSA conducts extensive psychological testing on potential employees . At the very least , applicants take a written psychological examination and interview with an NSA psychologist before they are hired .
Intelligence agencies like the CIA , NSA , and National Counterterrorism Center employ therapists to help analysts deal with emotional trauma . Analysts watch graphic content to gain clues about actions of terrorists . At times terrorists will embed encrypted messages in photos and videos . Clips include violent beheadings and attacks but they are 'mostly ' porn . Analysts often suffer feelings of sickness , grief , anger and depression .