A brief introduction to psychological first aid. Made from reliable materials and references.

1. PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
:- AMS

2. “As physical first aid is to the practice
of medicine, psychological first aid is
to the practice of psychotherapy”

3. Crisis:
 A psychological crisis is a life event that an individual perceives as
stressful to the extent that normal coping mechanisms are
insufficient.
 Eg: war, natural disasters, accidents, fires and interpersonal violence
(for example, sexual violence)
 People may lose their homes or loved ones, be separated from family
and community, or may witness violence, destruction or death

4. Reaction to Crisis
 Shock/Numbness
 Disorientation/confused
 Anxiety/Panic attacks/ Detached
 Anger/Irritability/Combativeness
 Startle Responses/ Feeling on the edge
 Withdrawn/ Decreased socialization
 Substance Use
 Insomania/ altered sleep wake cycle
 Multiple aches/pains

5. Reaction to Crisis
 Dizziness
 Restlessness
 Depersonalization/Derealization
 Acute stress reaction
 Survivor’s guilt
 Suicidal attempt/ Deliberate self harm
 Antisocial activities/Violence

6. Reaction to stress: Children
 Crying/ Clinging behavior
 Milestone regression
 Withdrawal/ Poor socialization
 Not Playing
 Decreased Sleep
 Startle response
 Numbness
 Non-specific somatic complaints

7. What is PFA?
 A first line of action and immediate intervention in the form of humane,
supportive & practical assistance to fellow human beings who recently suffered
from serious stressor.
 Psychological First Aid is designed to reduce the initial distress caused by
traumatic events and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and
coping

8. What is NOT PFA?
 Not something that only professionals can do.
 Not professional counselling.
 Not necessarily involve a detailed discussion of the event that caused the
distress.
 Not asking someone to analyze what happened to them or to put time
and events in order.
 Not about pressuring people to tell you their feelings and reactions to an
event.

9. What is PFA?
 Providing practical care and support, which does not intrude;
 Assessing needs and concerns;
 Helping people to address basic needs (for example, food and water,
information);
 Listening to people, but not pressuring them to talk;
 Comforting people and helping them to feel calm;
 Helping people connect to information, services and social supports;
 Protecting people from further harm.

10. Who Needs PFA?
 PFA is aimed at helping people who have been very recently affected by a crisis
event.
 Not everyone who experiences a crisis event will need or want PFA.
 Do not force help on people who do not want it, but make yourself easily
available to those who may want support.
 Know our limits when someone needs advanced support: Contact medical
personnel, local authorities or community leaders.
 Eg: Life-threatening injuries, unable to take care of a child, self-harm, other-harm

11. When and where?
 PFA is provided recently after the event, often on first contact. This could
be within hours or at times days.
 PFA can be provided wherever it is safe to do so.
 Scene of an accident, such as health centers, shelters or camps, schools
and distribution sites for food or other types of help
 What to keep in mind?
 Privacy of the person
 Confidentiality of information

12. Things to keep in Mind while helping
 Safety : Avoid putting person in further risk
 Dignity: Treat with respect and in accord to cultural norms
 Rights: Make sure people can access help fairly and
without discrimination

13. Things to keep in Mind while helping
 Dress: Some cultures require the person to dress in a particular way to be
respectful.
 Language and customary way of greeting people
 Gender, Age and Power may dictate who may talk to whom in certain
cultures.
 Touching may be conservative in some cultures
 Beliefs and Religion: This may be important to many people to
understand and explain what happened.

14. Things to keep in Mind while helping
 Many emergency services may be underway during a crisis: different types
of emergency response measures take place, such as search-and-rescue
operations, emergency health care, shelter, food distribution, and family
tracing and child protection activities.
 know exactly what services are available where
 Look after yourself: The helper is also likely to be affected by the crisis
event. It is important to look after one’s health and well being.

15. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Good
communication
 People in crisis is often confused, anxious or upset.
 Being calm and showing understanding can help people in distress feel more
safe and secure, understood, respected and cared for appropriately.

16. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Good
communication
 Listen if people want to tell their story, do not pressure someone to
talking.
 Ventilation and meaning making vs Reliving traumatic experience
 Listen using your ears, your words, your body language, your eye contact,
your gestures,
 Speak and behave in a way appropriate to person’s culture

17. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Good
communication : Not To Do
 Do not pressure someone to tell their stories
 Don’t interrupt or rush when they are talking
 Don’t judge what they have and haven’t done
 Don’t say “You shouldn’t feel that way,
feel lucky you survived”
 Don’t tell someone else’s story
 Don’t talk about your issues
 Don’t give false promises
 Don’t take away person’s strengths and sense
of being able to take care of themselves
 Don’t think and act as if you must solve all the
persons problems for them.

18. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Good
communication : To Do
 Quiet place
 Respect privacy and confidentiality
 Respect personal space: appropriate distance
 Let them know you are listening
 Patient and calm
 Be honest and provide factual information
 Validate emotions and losses
 Give information in a way they understand
 Acknowledge person’s strengths and how
they have helped themselves.
 Silence is golden

19. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Learn about
the situation
 The crisis: What happened? When and where? Who all are affected?
 Available services: Basis needs like medical care, food, water, shelter and
tracing not family members: Who provides? Where it is give? How can
people access?
 Safety and security concerns: Would there be after shock to an
earthquake? Damaged infrastructure?

20. HOW can I Provide PFA?
Action Principles:
 LOOK
 LISTEN
 LINK

21. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Look, Listen and Link.
LOOK
 “look” around you before offering help.
 give you a chance to be calm, be safe and think before you act.
 Look, Is it safe?
 What dangers can you see in the environment, such as active conflict, damaged
roads, unstable buildings, fire or flooding?
 Can you be there without likely harm to yourself or others?
 If you are not certain about the safety of the crisis site, then do not go

22. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Look, Listen and Link.
Look, Is people in need of obvious basic urgent needs?
 Does anyone appear to be critically injured and in need of emergency medical help?
 Does anyone have obvious urgent basic needs, such as protection from the weather,
torn clothing?
 Which people may need help in terms of accessing basic services and special attention
to be protected from discrimination and violence?
 Who else is available around me to help?
 Know your role and try to get help for people who need special assistance

23. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Look
Look, is there People with serious distress reactions?
 Are there people who appear extremely upset, not able to move on their own, not
responding to others, or in shock?
 Where and who are the most distressed people?
 Consider who may benefit from PFA and how you can best help.

24. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Look
 Various people may react in various ways to situations.
 people with either severe or long-lasting distress reactions may need more support than
PFA, make sure they are not left alone and try to keep them safe until reaction passes.
Particularly if they cannot function and are a danger to themselves or others.
 People who need special attention: Children and adolescents separated from parents;
people with either severe or long-lasting distress reactions may need more support
than people with either severe or long-lasting distress reactions may need more
support than People with mental and physical conditions; Ethnic groups or women
prone to discrimination or violence.

25. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Listen
Approach people who may need support.
 Approach respectfully and in a culturally appropriate way
 Introduce yourself by name and organization.
 Ask if you can provide help.
 If possible, find a safe and quiet place to talk.
 Help the person feel comfortable; for example, offer water if you can.
 Remove person from immediate danger, if needed.
 Protect the person from exposure to media for privacy and dignity

26. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Listen
Ask about people’s needs and concerns:
 Find out what is most important to them at this moment, and help them work out what
their priorities are.
 E.g.: blanket, clothes etc.

27. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Listen
Listen to people and help them to feel calm:
 Stay close to the person.
 Do not pressure the person to talk.
 Listen in case they want to talk about what happened.
 If they are very distressed, help them to feel calm and try to make sure they are not
alone.

28. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Listen
 Use calm and soft voice
 Maintain culturally appropriate eye contact
 If someone is disconnected use grounding techniques.

29. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Link
 People often feel vulnerable, distressed and powerless in crisis situations. They are
unable to access their usual support.
 Linking people to practical support, as the helper may only be there for a short time.
 Help people to help themselves regain control of their lives.

30. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Link
 Help people address basic needs and access services:
 shelter, food, and water and sanitation.
 injuries or help with chronic (long-term) medical conditions.

31. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Link
 Help people cope with problems.
 people identify supports in their life, such as friends or family who can help in current
situation
 practical suggestions: eg : to register in order for food aid
 ask the person to consider how they coped with difficult situations in the past, and
affirm their ability to cope with the current situation.
 ask the person what helps them to feel better. Encourage them to use positive coping
strategies and avoid negative coping strategies

32. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Link
 Give information
 the event
 loved ones or others who are impacted
 their safety
 their rights
 how to access the services and things they need

33. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Action principles
- Link
 Connect people with loved ones and social support.
 Help keep families together and help contact friends
 If a person requests prayer from religious members, help connect them
 Help bring affected people together to help each other.

34. HOW can I Provide PFA? : Ending your
help.
 When and how you stop providing help will depend on the context of the crisis, your
role and situation, and the needs of the people you are helping.
 Use your best judgment of the situation, the person’s needs and your own needs.
 If appropriate, explain to the person that you are leaving, and if someone else will be
helping them from that point on, try and introduce them to that person.

35. THANKYOU
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