What We Do
Centre for Journalism and Trauma Asia Pacific (formerly Dart Centre Asia Pacific) provides training sessions and webinars on a range of topics related to work-related trauma exposure for journalists
Our programs help participants make sense of their own experiences and reactions while aiding media organisations to gain insights into how ongoing traumatic stress exposure affects their personnel as well as their operations
We also provide 1:1 support sessions that help journalists deepen their understanding of trauma and keeping themselves safe before, during and after trauma exposure
Centre for Journalism and Trauma Asia Pacific also facilitates fellowships and produces tip sheets and thought-leader content around specific and emerging trauma-related topics
Training for organisations
We offer bespoke training either face to face or online for newsrooms and media organisations on a range of topics, from introductory sessions to help managers and media workers understand trauma and journalism through to bespoke workshops or webinars on specific trauma-related topics, such as understanding different types of trauma.
We can also assist organisations and teams in areas such as peer support, support for managers, interviewing trauma survivors and keeping safe from the impacts of trauma exposure
Fellowships and multi-day programs
With support of generous donors and funders, we are able to offer multi-day programs that allow journalists to gain deep insight into their experiences, share with their peers and build powerful protective strategies.
1 on 1 support
We offer organisations the opportunity to provide 1:1 confidential calls with our team to support them to develop personalised strategies and unpack their trauma exposure or impacts of workplace stress.
Our Team
Dr Cait McMahon
Founding director and consultant
Dr Cait McMahon OAM is a psychologist and leading international expert on trauma and journalism.
As founding Managing Director of the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma Asia Pacific (2003–2021) she delivered psychoeducation across more than 30 countries and advised global newsrooms on trauma‑mitigation processes.
Beginning her career at The Age in 1987, she conducted one of the earliest studies on journalists and trauma in 1993 and later completed a doctorate on this topic. She received a Medal of the Order of Australia for her work supporting the mental health of journalists and received a joint 2024 Churchill Fellowship with Rachael Hocking (Warlpiri) researching wellbeing for Indigenous journalists.
Amantha Perera
Director and consultant
Amantha Perera is a journalist, PhD candidate and Dart Ochberg Fellow.
He specializes in creating and sustaining safe and professional online and hybrid workspace and creates support strategies for journalists experiencing technology facilitated trauma, threats or abuse.
Amantha is recognized internationally for this work and has presented to journalists throughout Asia and the Pacific.
Dr Kimina Lyall
Director and consultant
Dr Kimina Lyall is a clinical psychologist who works primarily with people healing from complex trauma.
She is a former journalist, having worked as a reporter, editor, and foreign correspondent. She has been working with CJT and the Dart Centre in various volunteer and paid roles for the past 15 years.
She is the author of Out of the Blue – facing the tsunami, which describes her experience of the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia.
Testimonials
I think the program is very, very, very empowering. I’ve learned a lot about technology facilitated gender based violence … it’s reinforcing my learning. I will really use the resources I gained from this program.
Television Journalist
Philippines
It was brilliant, thank you
News Editor
Australia
This is valuable training especially for participants in countries where there is very little discussion of trauma and no access to support services for various reasons.
Journalist
Pacific
I think this program plays a pivotal role in the life of journalists as most of the time. We are being told to be brave and to be tough to report on disasters and once it is done, we just have to deal with trauma privately like it’s something bad. Since last year, as a leader … I have talked with my team about trauma and how it is something that they should not be ashamed of.
Television newsroom editor
Philippines
Joining (the Dart program) is the pivotal point in my career as a journalist and as an editor to (my country’s) largest daily newspaper. It has awakened me to my environment, that of my newsroom’s and reporters’, and the pure testimony is in the performance of my reporters right now. I have been in the editorial position for 10 years, and only after joining Dart in 2023, and applying Dart concepts in supporting my reporters, have I seen true improvement and empowerment. Eight years prior to joining Dart, my newsroom had a huge turnover rate, losing reporters left and right, mysterious low performance by reporters despite all the help the paper and editorial team gave them to support them to enrich their capacities. Since … I joined my first Dart training, and came back and started helping my reporters (and other local journalists outside my newsroom), my reporters have shown rejuvenation in their work output, renewed passion for the job, restored curiosity to sniff out news, and being fearless and empowered to hold authorities to account. I am a believer of Dart’s message on trauma because I am a witness to the power of trauma and its success over journalists who are not aware. I recommend all newsrooms across Asia/ Pacific and the globe to engage with Dart.
Journalist and editor
Soloman Islands
Please fund more trainings as such because it will help journalists in countries with lack of resources such as in the Pacific Islands.
Journalist
Fiji
I am really honoured to have been part of this, too, that even though I thought I knew some of the online attacks, and how to prevent them, that I learned so much from everybody, and hearing, not just from our country, but all over Asia, that what we’re going through is so similar
Senior television reporter
Korea