PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID (PFA):
HELPING OTHERS IN TIMES OF STRESS
The purpose of this course is to enable you to provide basic care, comfort, and support to people who are experiencing disaster-related stress. After completing all the segments of this course, you will be able to:
1)Notice the signs of stress in clients, co-workers, and yourself.
2)Give immediate support to people who may be experiencing stress by implementing PFA principles.
3)Obtain additional mental health support for yourself, co-workers, and clients, when needed.
Psychological First Aid is the practice of recognizing and responding to people who need help because they are feeling stress, resulting from the disaster situations within which they find themselves. Knowing how to provide Psychological First Aid can help you to:
1)Create a compassionate environment for disaster survivors and workers.
2) Assess what a person might need at a particular time.
3) Provide immediate support to those in stressful situations.
4) Help others cope in the face of stressful events.
Stress reactions of Adults vary from person to person and can disappear, remain the same, get somewhat better, or grow considerably worse. The severity and duration of stress depends on how well people manage and cope with their situations. PFA helps you to recognize the feelings in adults who have stress reactions, the impact on their thoughts, the physical effects of stress, and the maladaptive behaviors. Spiritual reactions may be present.
Stress reactions of Children can vary by child and age. Children are particularly sensitive to separation from familiar surroundings, people, and possessions, and disruption of routines. There are effects in feelings, thinking, physical state, and behaviors.
The characteristics of the disaster can impact the stress reaction: the type of disaster, when it occurs, who is affected, what is affected, where it happens. We also consider the level of preparedness, the post-disaster living situation, the limited availability of food and water, and delays in receiving disaster relief services or medical care.
Individual characteristics can impact the stress reaction: age, gender, family composition, cultural/ethnic/racial background, level of exposure to the disaster, loss of or injury to family members and loved ones, including pets, loss of possessions, pre-disaster stress, and connectedness with others.
When you take this course in Psychological First Aid, you will learn the 12 basic Psychological First Aid Actions, and when and how to apply them:
1)Making a Connection
2)Helping People be safe
3)Being kind, calm, and compassionate
4)Meeting people’s basic needs
5)Listening
6)Giving realistic assurance
7)Encouraging good coping
8)Helping people connect
9)Giving accurate and timely information
10)Making a referral to a Disaster Mental Health worker
11)Ending the conversation
12)Taking care of yourself
You will learn how to identify individuals who may need additional support from a Disaster Mental Health worker. You will learn how to identify the boundaries of PFA and your ability to provide help. You will learn how to do Mental Health Triage and when and how to “get help fast!”
Each positive action you take can help you and your community members feel better and more in control, and will lessen the post-disaster effect of stress reactions.