Psychological First Aid Webinar 05/21/2020

Speak warmly and genuinely with those you are working with survivors.

Help families create routines and structure: predictability.
Help the survivors by letting them be involved in the decision making process.  Instead of open ended questions, you might want to give them three choices to choose from. 

Validate survivor's thoughts and feelings. 
Express empathy.  So you feel?... It sounds like....
If you get the feeling wrong, apologize and let the survivor clarify or say what they really feel.  
Don't say "I know how you feel"  --- reflect back to them, like it sounds like you feel really sad or upset....
Don't start any sentence with "At least ... [anything]"

Some questions are just unanswerable.  Just stand there (be there). 

Dealing with anger:  Sometimes the will direct at at you, just because you are there.  Validate, but don't take it personally. 

To be empathetic, you need to take care of yourself.  You might just not be able to help at certain times.

We are in "chronic ambiguity" --say I don't know or provide accurate information

Normalize your reactions... we don't feel normal, what your feeling is what is expected or understandable. 
Positive Coping Strategies
How have you gotten through this before? 
What skills or strengths do you have to get through this? 
What do you have control over and what do you not have control over? 

Effective vs. ineffective ways of coping (seeing it in writing can help)