Psychological First Aid Training: Part 2

            Psychological first aid is an immediate intervention given to children and adult of all ages, families and responders to reduce stress and improve functioning and coping after a disaster. This service is mostly given by mental health workers and other professionals or responders of disasters at the site of disaster, special needs shelters, acute care facilities and other approved safety place within a given community. The psychological first aid comprises of eight strategies which is also known as (core actions). As a mental health provider, I would apply these eight core actions in future career to enhance my client’s safety and comfort through the following process:

     CONTACT ENGAGEMENT: Would help me to be culturally sensitive to my client needs and also be helpful and compassionates towards their needs.

      SAFETY AND COMFORT: Would help me prioritize my clients basic and immediate needs and concerns whiles providing them with physical and emotional comfort.

STABILIZATION: help my client to learn how to cope and different types breathing techniques and grounding when they are emotionally overwhelmed and stressed.

       INFORMATION GATHERING: would strengthen the relationship with my client while gathering their information to understand their problems and how to serve them better.

        PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE: helps in treatment and to address the client’s problems and concerns

          CONNECTION WITH SOCIAL SUPPORTS: help in establishing brief support and connecting with friends and family in times of loss of a loved one.

             INFORMATION ON COPING: provide information on different types of coping strategies that can help to reduce the symptoms of stress and other healthy behaviors that promote good health.

          LINKAGE WITH COLLABORATIVE SERVICES:  would help the client to identify with the resources available in the community and how to access them.

Reference

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2020) Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Skills

           for Psychological Recovery (SPR)

            Retrieved from https://learn.nctsn.org/course/index.php?categoryid=11