PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT: PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID

(SESSION GUIDE)

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this module, the participants are expected to:

• understand how psychological first aid (PFA) sessions are being conducted
• acquire necessary skills in conducting PFA to be shared and practiced in his/her
AOR
• assess the psychosocial situation of the affected individuals to be able to make
referrals, if necessary
• facilitate the return to normalcy of the affected individuals

MATERIALS/RESOURCES:
• Small group facilitators (For a maximum of 7 participants, there should be one
facilitator)
• Photocopy of hand-outs: Handouts 1 & 2
• Magsama-sama: Sound system, microphone, laptop, list of grouping criteria
• Music Art: Bond papers, box of crayons with at least 24 or more colors (1 per
group), scissors, playlist of various songs – happy, sad, inspiring, funny,
• Tableau: List of themes/ scenes for the tableau depending on the disaster/cause
of stress
• Controlling One’s Emotion: Metacards per table, 3 manila papers
• Breathing exercise: Meditative music for the breathing exercise, movements since
you will be leading the group in the exercise
• Playlist: Pens and papers
• Identifying and Addressing Needs: paper, pen, list of emergency numbers,
template for list of emergency contact numbers and information, hand-outs (D &
E)
• Crossing the Hurdle: Floor mats (quantity depends on the groupings), sturdy table,
chairs and other obstacles
• T-shirt Art: Bond paper, crayons/pastel color, scissors, pencil

TIME ALLOTED: 5 HOURS

A. INTRODUCTION TO PFA
Materials: Bond paper, pen, PPT Slides & hand-outs
Duration: 1 hour
Warm-up Activity: Lifeline
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Instructions:
This activity helps you mark the significant moments in your life. Draw a straight line
in the middle of a bond paper. This symbolizes your lifeline. On the upper part of the
line, write (or draw) your ups (high moments) and on the lower part of the line, write
(or draw) your downs (low moments). Afterwards, divide the participants into pairs
and have them share their work with each other.
 Processing:
(If time permits, have 2-3 participants share their lifeline to the group.)
This exercise shows that life is made up of highs and lows. Life usually balances out.
It is not always happy, but it is not always sad, too. Having a balanced life is an
example of self-care – you engage in helping others but you do not sacrifice the
important parts of your life.
Did you notice that life is a process? Later when we discuss about grief you will see
that it is also a process. There are different stages of grief, according to
Discussion on Self-Care, Grief, Psychological First Aid – objectives & methodologies

Transition to the next activity:

We have discussed self-care, grief and objectives and methodologies of PFA. Now we
will move on to how PFA sessions are being conducted. Note that the principles for the
sessions are the same as that of UNESCO SEES Manual. However, the activities are
those used by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Are you ready?

B. ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE USED FOR PFA

I. WARM-UP/UNFREEZING
This is to loosen up and energize the participants before moving in to the session proper.
Objectives:
• To familiarize them with one another
• To create rapport
• To become comfortable with each other
Materials:
• Sound system, Microphone, Laptop
Duration: 15 minutes

Activities to Choose From:

These activities can be used for both students and personnel.
a. Magsama-sama
Do
This is a grouping exercise. Whatever is the category, the body will form groups based
on similarities. For example, “Magsama- sama ang nakakulay berde.” (Those who are
wearing green, stay together.) Some lecturers and co facilitators could help lead the
group; others should participate.
b. Bring Me
Do
The participants are divided into groups with 5-7 members (can be smaller or larger
depending on the number of participants). The facilitator asks for objects to be found and
be brought forward. For example, “Bring me 2 shoes that are tied together.”

Transition to the next activity:

Note to Trainers:
The first step in PFA is Contact and engagement. Respond to contacts initiated by
survivors, or to initiate contact in a non-intrusive, compassionate and helpful manner.
PFA Facilitators:
Say
I hope you now know each other better. Let’s settle down and talk about what we will be
doing for this afternoon.

We will be doing activities that helps you express and process your feelings/ reactions
related to the disaster that happened. Afterwards, you will be divided into small groups
for discussions. Take note that no one is forcing you to join. If you think you are not yet
ready to express your feelings, it is okay. Feel free to join whenever you want to.

II. SESSION PROPER

1. VALIDATING AND NORMALIZING FEELINGS
Key Idea: Their reactions to the stressful event/disaster are normal and valid. (NOTE:
Refer to the handout for reactions that warrant referral)
Objectives:
Knowledge/Values
- Identify feelings/reactions related to the disaster
- Accept that all feelings and reactions are valid (& normal)
Behavior
- Express one’s feelings through art and body movements
Duration: 40 minutes
Materials:
Music Art: Bond papers, crayons, scissors, playlist of various songs – happy, sad,
inspiring, funny,
Tableau: List of themes/ scenes for the tableau depending on the disaster/cause of stress

PLENARY
Activities to choose from:
Any of these activities can be used for both students and personnel.
a. Music Art
Do
Facilitator plays a variety of songs (about 4-5) in the radio/laptop. The participants are to
choose their 2 favorite colors – one to be used by the left hand and the other one by the
right. They will write their name on any part of the bond paper (For younger students,
one color may be used). For each song, the participants are to respond by drawing what
they feel on the bond papers given to them. When each song stops, they are to pass the
colors they are holding to the person to their right. After the activity, they will go around
and look at the work of the other participants. After which, the participants get their
artwork and go to their pre-decided small groups. The facilitator of the small group asks
the participants to show their artwork & explain briefly what it is about & how s/he feels
while doing the activity.

A variation of this activity is to choose 6 of their favorite colors (The number of colors
depends on the number of songs that will be played). For each song, they are to use one
color to draw what they feel. Here, there will be no passing of colors to the next person.
b. Tableau
Do
Given a set of themes, depending on the event experienced by the participants, the
facilitator mentions a situation. Each group presents their situation with beginning,
middle/conflict, & end/resolution. The facilitator may ask some of the participants to
explain their role or describe what they are trying to depict.

SMALL GROUP (30-40 minutes):

(NOTE: The role of facilitator or the ones working closely to the survivors is to look for
risk signs -refer to hand out).
Processing
Say
What feelings or emotions were you trying to represent? What did you notice about your
reactions to the different music/situations? What were your realizations? (The facilitator
or co-facilitator should be listing down the reactions/feelings that are being shared.)

I want you to realize that these are normal reactions. (Give the handout about common
reactions (of students) to stressful events. Make sure to give only that part and not the
reactions for referral. ) Here is a list of common reactions to stressful events. See how
they compare to what you mentioned earlier. Did any of you feel this way? Do you agree
that these are all normal and valid feelings? How do you feel now?

Always remember that your reactions to the event were normal at that moment or until
about 3 months but if it already interferes with your life, you need talk someone about it.
Also, the next time you feel that way, take deep breaths until you calm down. Can we try
that together? (Count 1-10 as you all breathe in and out.)

CLOSURE:
Activity: CONNECTIONS
This is a great way to provide visual representation of how each person in a group has
an effect on everyone else in the group. Take a ball of string or yarn, large enough that it
can be tossed from person to person to create a web. Have everyone stand in a circle
and give one person the yarn. They are to hold on to one end of the yarn and offer up
something about what they learned in the group or from a particular group member or a
message for the group. Once they have made their statement, they hold on to the one
end of the yarn and toss the ball to a fellow group member across from them. They make
a comment about something they learn, hold on to the yarn so that they are creating a
line between themselves and the person who threw the yarn to them, and they then toss
the ball to another member across from them. Each member makes a statement and
tosses the ball to a fellow participant, all the while holding on to the piece of yarn that
comes from the person who went before them. Once everyone has spoken, you will see
that a huge web has been created that symbolizes the connection that group members
make with one another through the group counseling process. This is an excellent way to
show how everyone is connected, affects one another, and how the things that each
member brought to the experience have sustained the group. After the activity, the
facilitator thanks everyone in the group and asks for everyone to go back to the plenary
session.

PLENARY
The facilitator asks some of the participants to share their learnings/feelings.
Say
Does anyone want to share their learnings/feelings/reactions about the activity?

Transition to the next activity

Say
Earlier, we talked about your reactions to the disaster. We also experienced that
breathing deeply can help you calm down. Let’s talk about some ways to help you
manage your feelings.

2. Calming Down and Controlling One’s Emotion

There are certain ways one can do to calm down and control emotions.
Objectives:
Knowledge/Value
-Identify positive ways to manage one’s emotions
Behavior
-Practice calming down using a relaxation exercise

Materials: Metacards per table, 3 manila papers

Breathing exercise: Meditative music for the breathing exercise
Playlist: Pens and papers

Duration: 30 min

PLENARY
Warming Up
Do
Post manila papers on three sides of the room. Distribute three metacards to each
person.
Say
On each metacard, write down 1-3 ways you do to make you feel better or so you can
calm down. What do you do in order to forget about your negative feelings or thoughts?
You have 10 minutes to write down your ways of calming down.
Do
When they are finished, ask them to post their metacards on the manila paper. Have
them look for commonalities. List these down.
Say
You have identified positive ways of dealing with your reactions to the disaster or any
stressful situation in your life. Can we try to categorize the answers further? Which ways
are considered as positive ways of dealing with stressful situations? Which are
considered as negative? A lot of those mentioned were fruitful ways of dealing with stress.
However, there are some methods that need to be replaced with better ways of dealing
with stress. Do you want to learn another new way of feeling calm?
We will do breathing and stretching exercise (OR We will make our very own playlist, just
like the ones in the radio.)
Are you ready? Let’s do it.

Activities to Choose From:

a. Breathing and Stretching Exercises
Say
Everyone, stand up and follow my lead.
Do
The facilitator leads the group in breathing and stretching exercises. This is done with
meditative music in the background. (The video is in the attached file.)

b. Playlist
Do
The facilitator asks the participants to create their personalized playlist. They will be given
the following categories and they will be asked to fill it with 1-2 song choices of their own.
For example,
1.Hugot songs – sad, filled with memories, makes them think
2.Happy songs – laughter, happy thoughts
3.Uplifting/Inspiring
4.Upbeat/hyper
5.In love
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.

Analysis
Say
How do you feel now? Does anyone want to share?

Abstraction
Can you compare how you feel right now to how you felt before we started with the
relaxation activity? On a scale of 1-5, 5 being the highest, rate your level of stress before
and after we started with the exercise. Did the levels change?

Application
How can you apply your newfound knowledge to your daily life?

Closing
As a way to close this session, do you know that people who do yoga close the sessions
by saying “Namaste.” Namaste is a word which means “bow to you”. People in India use
it to say hello or to bid each other goodbye. Can you think of a short phrase that you can
say to your partner while you bow? For instance, we can bow to each other and say
“Thank you.” Think of a phrase that will show your friend how grateful you are about
his/her presence. Are you ready? Student A, bow to Student B and say your phrase. Now,
Student B, bow to Student A and say your own phrase. Bow to each other once more and
return to your seats.

Transition to the next activity

We have discussed your reactions to the disaster/event and ways of calming down and
controlling your feelings when faced with these stressor/s. Now let us identify and try to
address your needs and those of your family members as pertaining to the event.

3. Identifying and Addressing Needs

They know whom to approach for support in addressing their needs.

NOTE
Regardless of the type of disaster, people who are affected often need help in the
following:
Frequent Needs (WHO et al., 2011)
• Basic needs: food, shelter, water, clean toilets
• Health services for those who are ill and injured (and for those who seem to be
suffering from anxiety, trauma and depression)
• Simple and correct information about the event, loved ones and services available for
them
• Access to cell phones, internet, email in order to contact loved ones and other sources
of social support
• Being consulted about major decisions that will directly affect their lives (e.g., being
transported to another province, moving to a bunk house, etc.)
It cannot be assumed that just because students are back in school that all their basic
needs have been met. It is essential to have a venue where students can express their
needs and see how school can help them access these.

Objectives:
Knowledge/Values
-Identify one’s current needs and those of one’s family
-Be aware of the various institutions, departments and centers present within the school
environment or the immediate community and to take note of the important numbers and
information regarding who to approach for their needs
Behavior
-Take note of the important numbers and information regarding who to approach for their
needs

Materials: paper, pen, list of emergency numbers, template for list of emergency contact
numbers and information

Duration: 30 min.

Activity
Do
Show the sheet called List of Emergency Contact Number and Information. Ensure that
the sheet is properly filled out by the proper authorities and that a copy of the sheet is
distributed to all concerned.
Say
I will distribute a copy of the numbers, names, and addresses of certain government and
non-government offices that you may approach in order to have your family’s needs
addressed. Let us all discuss first what these offices do.
Say
Take a lookat the common needs of survivors after a disaster. Do you want to add other
needs to the list? I will distribute a needs form with three columns. On the first column,
write down the names of all the members of your family/relatives. On the second column,
can you identify what their needs are? You may base your answers on the needs listed
on the table. If the needs are not listed, please feel free to add your own set of needs. For
instance, you can add to talk to a psychiatrist or psychologist. You may also write down
names of friends, relatives and other people who can serve as people who can help your
family members in addressing their needs.
Do
Commend them for knowing whom they could approach in times of need.

Analysis
Can we talk about what you think your own needs are? Who can you approach in order
to address your own need? Why do you think it is important for all of you to learn about
whom you can go to for your own needs and the needs of your family?
Who among you realize that there are some needs that are difficult to address?
Why are they difficult to address?
Do you want me to help you give the names of these people with difficult needs to DSWD
or to the right agencies?
Do
Acknowledge them for having good support systems and for knowing who to link
themselves or their family members to.

Abstraction
Say
Can some of you share with us stories that show how at times, even these linkages cannot
do their responsibilities efficiently? Why do you think these groups had a hard time? Can
you also tell me some great or good stories about how other groups were able to help
you very well?
Say
Who among you realize that there are some needs that are difficult to address? Why are
they difficult to address? Do you want me to help you give the names of these people with
difficult needs to DSWD or to the right agencies? Encircle the names of these people
using a red pen and then pass those sheets to the front.

DO NOT make promises but tell them that you will try your best to provide help.

Application
Say
Now that you know how to LINK, can you tell me how you will apply this new knowledge
to your life right now?
Do
Listen to their answers and acknowledge them.

Closing
Ask students to come up with a chant or cheer after that activity. It should be a chant that
will remind them to find people/organizations to help them/their loved ones address their
most pressing needs.

Transition to the next activity

Last meeting, we talked about our needs and how to address them. We also talked about
how to control our reactions and emotions. Now, let us reflect on what has allowed us to
move on.

4. Sources of Strength
The aim of this module is to encourage the survivors to revisit their strengths in order to
support their self-efficacy to deal with the situation. This is to reiterate that they are not
alone in the struggle and they have multiple sources of strength.

Objectives:
Knowledge/Value
-Identify personal, social, and emotional sources of strengths during and in the aftermath
of the disaster/stressful situation
Behavior
-Identify their internal and external sources of strength

Materials:
Crossing the Hurdle: Floor mats (quantity depends on the groupings), sturdy table, chairs
and other obstacles
T-Shirt Art: Bond paper, crayons/pastel color, scissors, pencil

Duration: 40 min

Activities to Choose from:

a. Crossing the Hurdle
Do
Set up the hurdle (obstacle course) beforehand – mats on the floor, table and chairs as
obstacles. Divide the participants into groups of 4 or 5, depending on the number. Each
group will be asked to stay connected to each other as they cross the hurdle. In addition,
they are only allowed to step on the mats.

Say
Are you ready to do something challenging? As a group, you will move across the room,
going through the hurdles, and then come back to the starting point. While crossing the
floor, you are only allowed to step on the mats.

Analysis
How do you feel while doing the activity? What do the hurdles represent? What were
your realizations?

Application
Say
This activity illustrated the power of staying together, of remaining connected, of helping
each other. Having people around whom you know you can count on can be a very
powerful source of strength.
The next time you feel weak, remind yourself that you have a number of sources of
strength.

b. T-shirt Art ( I, ME, MYSELF)

Do
Have the participants cut the bond papers to make their own “me” T-shirt that best
answers who they are, what they want. For each corner of their T-shirt they will answer
the following using illustrations:
Upper Center: Write name or nickname
Upper right: 3 favorite things/activities
Upper Left: 3 traits/qualities/characteristics
Lower center: 3 things they value
Lower right: 3 talents
Lower left: 3 learnings or 3 dreams

Analysis
Say
What have you realized about each other after the group sharing? What have you
realized about yourself? How are you similar to the t-shirt? Can you think of other objects
that can be a symbol for your many sources of strength?

This t-shirt shows your positive qualities, the dreams you have, and your learnings in life.
No matter how dark the situation may seem or how down we may feel, we can still
overcome these situations because of who we are as a person.

Closing
Say
Discuss among yourselves a common strength that you all have within the group. When
you are all ready, each group will be given a chance to say out loud, “KAMI AY _____” or
WE ARE ______ . (Examples: strong, resilient, happy, loved or malakas, matatag,
masayahin, minamahal).
Do
Allow each group to present.
SYNTHESIS
School heads and teachers, and though they have limitations on handling specialized
issues on mental health, can be trained as frontline responders to address psychosocial
issues in their area of responsibility.

Duration: 15 minutes
Say
Look at the following key sentences. Raise your hands if you think they are true for you:
My reactions to the disaster are valid and normal.
I can calm down and control my emotions.
I know whom to approach for support in addressing my needs.
I have multiple sources of strength.
Say
Tap yourself on the shoulder, and say, “All I well.” Now look at the person beside you, tap
her/him on the shoulder and say, “All is well.”

Thank you everyone, and remember that all is well and all is going to be well.