Проєкт
«На шляху до безпечної, здорової та задекларованої праці в Україні»
With care for yourself and everyone
Psychosocial support at the workplace in war
and post-war times
Psychological first aid
Kseniia Lepekha – psychologist, trainer on
workplace preventive programmes
www.ilo.org/shd4Ukraine
https://www.facebook.com/shd4Ukraine
April – May 2022
https://www.youtube.com/c/EUILOProjectUkraine
Psychological first aid (PFA):
conditions, principles and basic skills
What do you think once you hear:
“psychological firsit aid”?
First aid to the mind is as important as
first aid to the body. It can rescue life!
Psychological first aid (PFA)
● is an evidence-based approach to provision of the
psychosocial first support to a person during and after a
traumatic event in order to stabilize the person PFA is NOT counselling
emotionally and refer him/her to specialized assistance and NOT
resources psychotherapy!
“More often, I examined people thoroughly not
because I suspected some disease but because I
knew: a thorough examination and talk comfort
patients”.
Morten Rostrup – emergency physician from
Norway working in Kharkiv
Caring for others:
preparation (checklist)
What emotional state I’m in, how much ready am I to help
my colleagues?
Do I know what emotional and physical responses a person
can have in crisis situations, and how to react correctly in
an “acute stress” situation?
Do I know what to do, what to say, and how to react in a
situation when a person needs psychological first aid?
Is there a room at the workplace where I can talk to a
person quietly?
Do I have information about crisis centres and contacts of
experts able to render specialized aid?
Conditions for provision of psychological first aid
WHO needs it? WHERE to talk?
Everyone in need of support Wherever is safe, ensuring
experiences anxiety, panic, fear, confidentiality
nervous tremor, hysterics,
aggression, stupor…
Not everyone who has
experienced a traumatic event
needs PFA
WHEN to help?
During or after a crisis
event
Principles of psychological first aid
LOOK! LISTEN!
Do no harm!
Assess safety level Adhere to ethical behaviour Listen attentively and
Assess the person’s principles (respect for personal learn the person’s
needs security and human rights, priority needs and
confidentiality) substance of concern
Identify signs of distress
Use basic skills of effective
communication: eye contact, active
listening, empathy
Provide contacts of a centre/specialist if the person needs
professional medical, psychological or social aid (ensure
REFER! access to services)
Help connect with relatives
What SHOULD NOT BE DONE during PFA?
force a person to tell his/her story
interrupt, hasten, look at your watch, talk fast and tough
touch the person, hug him/her if you are not sure that this is
acceptable
judge the person’s actions or feelings
use complicated terms, “be smart”
tell other people’s stories
complain to the person of your own problems and experiences
give promises
deprive the person of the feeling that he/she is able to care for
him/herself
What should/should not be said during PFA to calm down,
soothe and support a person?
2) Everything will be
1) I understand you alright
6) Time heals
8) Don’t panic
3) I am impressed 5) You should not
by the way you held think so
on… (coped with…)
9) We can just sit
7) I sympathize in silence for a
4) I am near, you with you while
are not alone
11) Don’t cry
10) Сan I help you
12) I don’t know an with something?
answer but I can listen
Check your answers on the next slide
A question to the group. What should/should not be said during
PFA to calm down, soothe and support a person?
2) Everything will be
1) I understand you alright
6) Time heals
8) Don’t panic
3) I am impressed 5) You should not
by the way you held think so
on… (coped with…)
9) We can just sit
7) I symphathize in silence for a
4) I am near, you with you while
are not alone
11) Don’t cry
10) Can I help you
12) I don’t know an with something?
answer but I can listen
What IS NOT part of PFA?
1) Providing help unobtrusively
2) Assessing priority needs and problems
3) Questioning on what has happened
4) Psychotherapeutic counselling
5) Establishing a diagnosis
6) Listening without forcing a person to talk
7) Soothing and calming down people, showing empathy
8) Consulting with a psychologist
9) Assisting to refer to a specialist (specialists)
10) Protecting a person from further harm
Check your answers on the next slide
A question to the group. What IS NOT part of PFA?
1) Providing help unobtrusively
2) Assessing priority needs and problems
3) Questioning on what has happened
4) Psychotherapeutic counselling
5) Establishing a diagnosis
6) Listening without forcing a person to talk
7) Soothing and calming down people, showing empathy
8) Consulting with a psychologist
9) Assisting to refer to a specialist (specialists)
10) Protecting a person from further harm
When does a person need professional aid?
Feeling nervous or anxious for most of the time
Thinking of causing harm to him/herself or others
Being unable to sleep normally for a week or more
Being unable to concentrate on work and disoriented
Having problems with psychoactive substance use
Falling down on the ceiling (hiding under the table)
without any real threat
Being unable to cope with loss (of near and dear ones
and/or housing or job)
Having experienced violent actions and needing help
from a specialist (specialists)
Проєкт
«На шляху до безпечної, здорової та задекларованої праці в Україні»
With care for yourself and everyone
Psychosocial support at the workplace in war and
post-war times
Psychological first aid
www.ilo.org/shd4Ukraine
https://www.facebook.com/shd4Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/c/EUILOProjectUkraine
