Al Ghaoui Hesna

A Prima Primissima Award-Winning Journalist, editor and reporter, author

With over twenty years in the media industry, I transitioned from a decade-long career as a foreign affairs editor, journalist and war correspondent into advocacy and communication about mental health. Becoming a media psychologist, the main domains of my focus are fear, resilience, trauma informed communication, and posttraumatic growth. Working across many hotspots and crisis regions of the world, I observed firsthand how fear and trauma profoundly impact human behavior. My latest area of interest is moral injury.

I’m passionately dedicated to reshaping societal perspectives on fear, adversity, and change. Empowering minds and transforming lives is at the heart of my mission. By harnessing the power of diverse platforms (books, podcasts, app, I craft and share captivating narratives that illuminate the path to resilience and mental wellness.

I wrote five books, three non-fictions and two children’s books, focusing on fear and resilience. I delivered over 200 talks and keynotes for global companies in Hungary and abroad (including Microsoft, Audi, Samsung, BMW, Telekom, Deutche Telekom, Bosch, Danone, Roche, PWC, Forbes, Mercedes, KPMG, Morgan Stanley), spoke at professional conferences as well as community events. I also conducted workshops related to fear and resilience in cooperation with various organizations, including the Hungarian Forbes. I became a Fearless Practitioner, offering workshops about psychological safety, including a tool called the Fearless Organization Scan, based on the research of Amy C. Edmondson, a Harvard professor.

I hosted dozens of podcasts, and developed and hosted ‘Babel,’ a 37-episode documentary series exploring extraordinary life stories and social psychological themes.

I co-developed a digital app to support children affected by war, called Magic Mitten (www.magicmitten.org), currently implemented in Ukraine, Gaza, and several hot spots of the world.

I had the chance to meet, cooperate with and learn from amazing international experts on the field of trauma, coping, moral injury and everyday heroism.

I took part in shaping global policies of international intergovernmental organizations like the Euro-Mediterranean Anna Lindh Foundation as an advisory council member and participated in international media campaigns about the global Millennium Development Goals. I was also invited to serve on juries for international film competitions like Prix Europa and INPUT.

My subsequent focus on fear and posttraumatic growth, supported by a Fulbright research scholarship at UC Berkeley IPSR in 2021, has further increased my interest in trauma-informed media, solution-based journalism, and moral injury. I have guest lectures on these issues at institutions such as New School University in New York, the New York Film Academy, and the Sigmund Freud University in Vienna.

As a goodwill ambassador for several civil organizations, including the Heroes Square initiative, founded by Professor Philip Zimbardo, I have been actively engaged in combating societal prejudice and indifference. I also serve a thinktank member of Edison Platform, an organization identifying talent initiatives that teach children essential skills for coping with 21st-century challenges while connecting them with parents.

Focus & Topics

Trauma

As a media psychologist, I am deeply interested in studying TRAUMA-INFORMED JOURNALISM and MORAL INJURY. Collaborating with professionals in these fields, I am dedicated to bridging the gap between scientific research, professional routines/practices and public understanding.

My review paper on moral injury in journalism:

The Theoretical Foundation and Case Studies of Moral Injury in Journalism.

Fear

I have been studying THE EMOTION OF FEAR for several years, since I transitioned from journalism and war correspondence to mental health communication.

My books focusing on the topic of fear:

Growth & Resilience

I focused on the topic of POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH and RESILIENCE through conducting dozens of in-depth interviews with trauma experts, researchers and trauma survivors, as part of Fulbright research scholarship spent at University of California, Berkeley. I summarized and consolidated the results and insights in my new book titled Why Me.

Press Kit

APPROVED PHOTOS FOR MEDIA USE

Featured In

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of sharing my insights on fear, resilience, and growing from adversities across a wide range of media outlets and platforms. Here are some notable features: