Infographic Text: How to Give Psychological First Aid
After a natural disaster or terrorist attack, there are likely going to be many people in distress. If you want to give emergency psychological support to survivors, remember to ASSIST:
Approach the individual.
- Introduce yourself and state any organization you might be affiliated with.
- Be polite and professional—remember to say please and thank you.
- Find a safe, private place to talk if possible.
Stabilize their emotions.
- Communicate in a calm, warm tone. The person might be in shock, so you may need to repeat yourself at times.
- Offer to guide them through some grounding exercises, such as taking slow, deep breaths.
- Ask for permission before you hug or touch them.
Serve their needs.
- Ask the person what they need. Don’t assume what their priorities are.
- If they don’t know what they need, offer practical support, such as a blanket or water.
- Help them find any missing family members or friends.
Inform them of the facts.
- Give them concrete information about the incident and any relief efforts under way.
- Don’t make false promises. Avoid generalizations such as “everything will be okay.”
- Be honest if you don’t know the answer to a question.
Support their story.
- Respect the person’s privacy. Don’t pressure them into recounting their trauma or sharing personal details.
- Allow the person to assign whatever spiritual or religious meaning they wish toward the crisis.
- Let them cry or go silent if they need to.
Turn them toward further services.
- Direct survivors to the nearest relief station. Do not force them if they are not ready to move yet.
- Give them written contact information for long-term services, such as trauma counseling.
- Remember children may need extra direction and care.
References:
- About PFA. (n.d.). The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2pY5z51
- Psychological first aid for first responders [PDF]. (n.d.). SAMHSA. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2NKy0Bb
- Snider, L., van Ommeren, M. & Schafer, A. (n.d.). Psychological first aid: Guide for field workers. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2ZzKmSP
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