P SY C H OL OG I C A L F I RS T

AID: DURI NG D ISA STE RS

MENT AL HEA L TH DISTRESS
ADDRE SSING
DECEMBER 18, 2021
MARK VINCEN D. GUINDANAO

SHARIFA JANE M. AMBALGAN

ANO ANG HUGOT MO?
HOW ARE YOU DOIN?
First, a quick survey
Which face comes closest to how you feel
this morning?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
First, a quick survey
your work life?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
First, a quick survey
your love life? *ooops! Meron ba?*

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
First, a quick survey
Your social life?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
First, a quick survey
Your spiritual life?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
First, a quick survey
Do you have time for recreational
activities?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
First, a quick survey
your financial life?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
First, a quick survey
life as a whole?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
PSYCHOLOGICAL
FIRST AID
Module I: Validating and Normalizing Feelings

PFA Modules Module II: Calming Down and Controlling One’s

Emotion

Module III: Linking: Identifying and Addressing

Needs

Module IV: Sources of Strength

At the end of this module, the
participants are expected to:
• Explain the concepts of PFA
• Summarize key learnings
• Determine how sessions are conducted
• Acquire necessary skills to conduct PFA
KEY
CONCEPT
SELF-CARE
The ability to engage
in helping others
without sacrificing
other important
parts of one’s life.
• AWARENESS – slow
down & focus
inwardly
• BALANCE in ALL
areas of life
• CONNECTION – build
supportive relations
What is Psychological
First Aid?
 Psychological First Aid is an
evidence-informed modular approach
to help children, adolescents, adults,
and families in the immediate
aftermath of disaster and terrorism.
 Offer practical assistance and information to help
survivors address their immediate needs and
concerns.
 Connect survivors as soon as possible to social
support networks, including family members,
friends, neighbors, and community helping
resources.
 Support adaptive coping, acknowledge coping efforts
and strengths, and empower survivors; encourage
adults, children, and families to take an active role
in their recovery.
 Provide information that may help survivors
cope effectively with the psychological
impact of disasters.
 Be clear about your availability, and (when
appropriate) linking the survivor to another
member of a disaster response team or to
local recovery systems, mental health
services, public-sector services, and
organizations.
Delivering Psychological First Aid
 Model healthy responses; be calm, courteous, organized, and
helpful.
 Maintain confidentiality as appropriate.
 Remain within the scope of your expertise and your designated
role.
 Make appropriate referrals when additional expertise is needed or
requested by the survivor.
 Be knowledgeable and sensitive to issues of culture and diversity.
 Pay attention to your own emotional and physical reactions, and
practice self-care.
Guidelines for Delivering
Psychological First Aid
 Politely observe first, don’t intrude. Then ask simple
respectful questions to determine how you may help.
 Often, the best way to make contact is to provide
practical assistance (food, water, blankets).
 Initiate contact only after you have observed the
situation and the person or family, and have
determined that contact is not likely to be intrusive or
disruptive.
Be prepared that survivors will either
avoid you or flood you with contact.
Speak calmly. Be patient, responsive,
and sensitive.
If survivors want to talk, be prepared to
listen. When you listen, focus on
hearing what they want to tell you, and
how you can be of help.
Some Behaviors to Avoid
 Do not make assumptions about what survivors are
experiencing or what they have been through.
 Do not assume that everyone exposed to a disaster will be
traumatized.
 Do not pathologize. Most acute reactions are
understandable and expectable given what people exposed
to the disaster have experienced. Do not label reactions as
“symptoms,” or speak in terms of “diagnoses,” “conditions,”
“pathologies,” or “disorders.”
 Do not assume that all survivors want to talk
or need to talk to you. Often, being physically
present in a supportive and calm way helps
affected people feel safer and more able to
cope.
 Do not “debrief” by asking for details of what
happened.
 Do not speculate or offer possibly inaccurate
information. If you cannot answer a survivor’s
question, do your best to learn the facts.
GRIEF
 DENIAL
 ANGER
 BARGAINING
 DEPRESSION
 ACCEPTANCE
PSYCHOLOGICAL
FIRST AID
Look at the following actions and identify which are examples
of PFA and which are NOT:

 assisting with current needs

 discussing the details of the event that
caused distress
 making them feel safe & calm
 analyze what happened to them
 connect them with services & social support
…IS NOT …IS
TO HELP
COUNSELING INDIVIDUALS FEEL:
SAFE, CALM,
CONNECTED,
PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORTED, &
DEBRIEFING HOPEFUL
Counseling means
professional guidance in resolving personal conflicts a
nd emotional problems.
PFA is
To help individuals feel SAFE, CALM, CONNECTED,
SUPPORTED, & HOPEFUL.
Anyone who is trained in PFA can facilitate
to be delivered during
the Emergency Phase WHO IS IT FOR?

reduce initial distress Students,

caused by emergencies personnel & their
families exposed to
foster short- and long- disaster or other
term adaptive emergency
functioning and coping
PFA Principles
Ensure safety,
Contact & engagement Practical
assistance,
Connect to
social
support,
and Link
with
services
Stabilize,
Gather information regarding current needs
and concerns, and Support efforts to coping
LINK
Practical
assistance,
LISTEN Connect to social
Stabilize, support,
Gather information and Link with
regarding current services
needs and LOOK
concerns, Ensure safety,
and Support efforts Contact &
to coping engagement
SESSIONS
WARMINGVALIDATING
UP AND
NORMALIZING FEELINGS
CALMING DOWN AND
CONTROLLING EMOTIONS
IDENTIFYING AND
ADDRESSING NEEDS
SOURCES OF STRENGTH
Unfreezing Activities
• Kumusta ka?
• Magsama-sama
Kumusta ka, kaibigan
Bumati ka, bumati ka,
Hello to everyone.
Araw ay masaya,
Tayo ay masigla,
Umikot ka, umikot ka,
Humanap ng iba!
MODULE 1.
VALIDATING AND
NORMALIZING FEELINGS
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the session, participants should be able
to:
• Express one’s feelings through art and body
movements
• Identify feelings/reactions related to the disaster
• Accept that all feelings and reactions are normal
and valid
MUSIC ART
Materials: A Playlist, Bond Papers & Crayons
MECHANICS
A.Provide the needed materials to the participants.
B. Write the name on any part of the bond paper.
C. Facilitator will play a variety of songs.
D. The participants are to choose their 2 favorite colors.
E. For each song, the participants are to respond by drawing
what they feel on the bond papers given to them.
F. When each song stops, participants will change colors
G. After the activity, conduct a short gallery walk and group
sharing.
TABLEAU
MECHANICS
A. The Facilitator will mention different
situations
B. Each group will presents their situation with
beginning, middle/conflict, & end/resolution.
C. Some members of the group may be ask to
explain their role or describe what they are
trying to depict.
GROUP
SHARING
PUPPET ART
• Profile:
• Name
• Age
• Gender
• Motto
• Wish/ Dream
Now we know that:
Our feelings and reactions to the
disaster were normal and valid.
There are adaptive and maladaptive
coping mechanisms that we can do in
order to make us feel better.
MODULE 2.
CALMING DOWN AND
CONTROLLING ONE’S
EMOTION
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the session,
participants should be able to:
• Identify positive ways to manage
one’s emotions
• Practice calming down using a
relaxation exercise
WHAT
I USUALLY DO?
Materials: Markers, Metacards & Manila Paper
MECHANICS
A. A set of scenarios will be provided in each
group.
B. Every member will write in the metacards
1-3 ways he/she do to feel better or to calm
down.
C. Each group will briefly present their
outputs in the plenary.
EVERY BREATH
YOU TAKE
(Breathing Exercise)
My Playlist
MECHANICS
A. Each participant will create his/her personalized
playlist.
B. Based on the provided categories, he/she will
select 1-2 song choices.
C. Each participant will be asked to share their
playlist to the group. S/He will briefly describes
explains why s/he chose those particular songs.
D. Some participants will be asked to present in the
plenary their playlist.
My Playlist:
• Happy Songs
• Uplifting/Inspiring
• Upbeat/ Hyper
• In love
• Hugot Songs
Now we know that:
 There are several things we do to calm down
ourselves.
One of the most effective means of making
ourselves feel better is through breathing and
stretching exercise.
MODULE 3.
LINKING:
IDENTIFYING AND
ADDRESSING NEEDS
LET’S PLAY
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the session, participants should be able to:
• Identify one’s current needs and those of one’s
family
• Become aware of the various institutions,
departments and centers present within the school
environment or community.
• Take note of the important numbers and information
regarding who to approach for their needs
FREQUENT NEEDS
(WHO et al, 2019)

Basic Needs Access to cell phones,

Health internet, email
Being consulted about major
Correct Information decisions that will directly affect
their lives
LIST OF COMMON NEEDS OF SURVIVORS
AFTER A DISASTER
General To find missing family members, to provide medical assistance to
those who were hurt, to gain access to List of Casualties, to know
how many were affected, to provide proper burial for those who
passed on
Food & Water To provide waterlines to homes, to gain access to sources of water
for multiple purposes, food for ____ number of days
Family Goods Blankets, clothes, beddings, tarp, flashlight, storage boxes, dignity
kits
Fuel For vehicle, gas for cooking, kerosene for lamps
Sanitation Public toilet, private toilet, feminine supplies, personal hygiene
items
Shelter Temporary shelter, building materials to be used for repairs
List of Common Needs During a Pandemic
Relief Goods andreliefhow
To receive goods &to access
“ayuda” them
from Brgy. Level, City Mayor and DSWD.
Selling of Products & Is your family involve in selling some products or goods? They too need to get the
Goods permit to travel and to sell their basic goods & commodities. Go to your Brgy.
Center to issue the permit.
Transportation within If you need to travel within your area or vicinity, go to your Brgy. Center and ask
your area. for permission to go to a grocery store, market place, supermarket or pharmacy
store. A quarantine pass is issued by your barangay. Wearing facemask is always
needed.
Transportation Go to your Municipal Center to get a travel pass that will allow you to pass major
outside your city or thoroughfares. Make sure you are Covid-free and should also wear facemask
municipality always. They also provide you with vehicle.
Cash Assistance or The DSWD releases cash amounts in three tranches to poor but deserving
Social Amelioration families. Contact your DSWD
Program (SAP)
Cash Assistance to Overseas Foreign Worker (OFW) may avail of Government Cash Aid by the DOLE
OFW and workers who had been displaced due to pandemic.
HOTLI
POLICE STATION
AGENCY NES
169
HOTLINE/S

FIRE STATION 227-1081

MUNICIPAL DRR 227-1146
PRINCIPAL’S 0FFICE 227-1151
SPRING RADION 227-1079
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR 227-1001
OFFICE OF THE VICE-MAYOR 2234-1328
HEALTH OFFICE 227-1008
SCHOOL DRR COORDINATOR 09097586946
LIST OF EMERGENCY CONTACT
NUMBERS & INFORMATION
Organization Contact # & Address Contact Person
Barangay Health Office
Barangay Disaster Team
DSWD Office
Hospital
Psychologist or Social
Worker
COVID Screening Center
Your School
GROUP ACTIVITY
• Make your own School Emergency Contact Numbers.
Name Contact # Position
MODULE 4.
SOURCES OF STRENGTH
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the session,
participants should be able to:
• Identify personal, social and
emotional strengths in during and
in the aftermath of the disaster/
stressful situation
T-Shirt Art
Materials: Bond Paper & Crayons
3 Traits/ 3
Qualities favorite
/Charac NAME/ things/
teristics activities
Nickname

3 things
LEFT you Value RIGHT
SIDE most SIDE
Wish/Aspiration
T-Shirt
Art Story
(Group Sharing)
Crossing the Hurdle
Materials: Floor mats, sturdy table, chairs
and other obstacles
MECHANICS
A. Each group will be asked to
stay connected to each other as
they cross the hurdle.
B. Participants are only allowed
to step on the mats.
Now we know that:
 We have to encourage the survivors of
a disaster to revisit their strengths in
order to support self-efficacy to deal
with the situation
We have to reiterate that they are not
alone in the struggle and they have
multiple sources of strength.
OTHER POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES
• Lifeline
• Personal Declaration
• Magluto Tayo!
KUNG TAYO AY MAGSAMA-SAMA
MAGTULUNGAN, MAGKAIBIGAN
KUNG TAYO AY MAGSAMA-SAMA
ANG TAGUMPAY AY MAKAMKAMTAN

ANG KAIBIGAN MO, AY KAIBIGAN KO!

ANG KAIBIGAN KO, AY KAIBIGAN MO!
KUNG TAYO AY MAGSAMA-SAMA
ANG TAGUMPAY AY MAKAMKAMTAN
Reframing Activity
Dream School/ Community
Unfreezing Activities Magsama-sama, Bahay-
Bata-Bagyo,
Higante Higante

Validating & Music Art, Mirroring

normalizing feelings Tableau, Puppet Art

Calming down & Breathing Exercise, Body

controlling emotions Movement
Community Singing
Identifying & PFA – Pera o Bayong;
addressing needs Group Sharing
T-Shirt Art, Reframing
Sources of strength
Activity, Lifeline
SYNTHESIS
Psychological First Aid (PFA) sessions are delivered during the
emergency phase (1-day to 6 months) of a disaster.
PFA sessions are conducted to foster well-being and facilitate the
return to normalcy of students/participants who are survivors of
disasters. It also mitigates the effects of the disaster in their lives.
Therefore, proper planning and consideration of the situation and
needs of the students/participants are needed.
 As a facilitator, it is important to assure those who are affected of
their safety before starting the PFA. At the same time, make sure to
practice self-care while conducting the PFA.
SYNTHESIS
As a PFA provider, it is important to make the PFA
participants realized that:
 Their reactions to the disaster are valid and normal.
 They can use different means to calm down and control
their emotions.
 There are persons and organizations who can be
approach for support in addressing their needs.
 They have multiple sources of strength.
THANK YOU!