This study argues that a better understanding of trauma can support a journalism that seeks to build peace in Colombia. Based on a participant observation, it presents the experiences of four local journalists living and working in a context of protracted violence in one of the country's most dangerous regions. Through an application of Newman and Nelson's (2012) conceptual framework of the three tensions or "dances" of trauma, it is argued that an ethical and trauma-aware practice can underpin a more inclusive narrative of peace and conflict. An emotionally literate journalism, which seeks out the voices and experiences of the marginalised, has the potential to promote social cohesion in the aftermath of suffering and pave the foundations for reconciliation within a community. This people-focused approach strengthens resilience in both the reporter and the reported by equipping local journalists with the skills and knowledge they need to live up to the contemporary expectations of peacebuilding that have been placed upon them.