Psychological First Aid is a technique for assisting people in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic incident or disaster.

In times of crisis, knowing how to provide effective emotional support can make a significant difference in helping people navigate their immediate and long-term well-being. Our Psychological First Aid short course offers essential training to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to offer timely and compassionate assistance to those in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic incident or disaster.

This training is delivered by local non-profit, Plan C.

Plan C works to to build the resilience and regenerative capacities of Northern Rivers communities in the face of future disasters and crises. This training was initially developed by Plan C as part of our Community Carers and Responders (CCR) training. Find out more about the CCR training here.

What to Expect from the Course:

Understanding Psychological First Aid: Gain insights into the principles and core concepts of psychological first aid, exploring its importance in various situations.
Recognising Emotional Responses: Learn to identify common emotional and psychological reactions that individuals might experience following a crisis or traumatic event.
Providing Immediate Support: Discover practical techniques for offering immediate comfort and reassurance to individuals in distress, fostering a sense of safety and calm.
Active Listening and Communication Skills: Develop effective communication strategies to listen empathetically and communicate compassionately with those in need.
Promoting Resilience: Explore methods to empower individuals to build resilience and cope with the challenges they're facing.
Self-Care and Boundaries: Understand the importance of self-care for both the helper and the person receiving support, while maintaining healthy boundaries.
Cultural Sensitivity: Gain insights into approaching psychological first aid with cultural sensitivity and respect for diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Real-life Scenarios and Role Play: Engage in hands-on learning through case studies, role-playing, and practical exercises that simulate real-world scenarios.

Please note: Psychological First Aid is different to Mental Health First Aid

PFA is usually solely focused on response to a disaster.
MHFA does give some training in how to respond to a person who has experienced a traumatic event. However, this training is much less detailed than in PFA.

There are lots of MHFA trainings available in the Northern Rivers, but very few PFA ones.