PFA Training: Fun and Useful!

image generated from CANVA

Anyone here who knows what PFA means?

It's an acronym for Psychological First Aid. When I first heard these words, I thought we would be memorizing some words that I can't even pronounce...medical terms that I seldom here or so but I was amazed on what PFA actually does.

I hope I piqued your interest because I'll be sharing with you bits of the things that I have learned from my training. It may become handy.

Psychological First Aid

So what exactly is PFA?
According to Minnesota Department of Health,"Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed approach that is built on the concept of human resilience. PFA aims to reduce stress symptoms and assist in a healthy recovery following a traumatic event, natural disaster, public health emergency, or even a personal crisis."
source

So basically, it's something we can use for others and for ourselves.

On our 1st day of training, I admit I thought of it a another boring seminar wherein after it, we'd be required to submit more paperworks. Why? Because the 1st day was filled with discussions. There were several speakers who discussed about how PFA started, it's concepts, etc. But come 2nd day, they have shared with us and let us experience it first hand.

We were given series of activities that we thought were random but we were surprised as we went through those activities. Some of us have revealed their traumatic experiences, their life regrets and after those, they taught us how to value ourselves and that our emotions are normal and valid. They also shared with us many techniques that we can apply in our designated schools (coz' I am an Admin. Personnel in 2 schools).

Since I cannot explain all, Let me just share with you some activities that can help you or you can share to others who needs them:

1. Playing different kind of song and drawing what you feel about the music being played.

This activity lets us reminisce the past experiences but it will depend on the musics being played. We trued happy to sad sounding musics and yes, some of us have shared their life's tragedies which led our facilitators to the 2nd phase of this activity which is the validation of pur feelings...like it is ✨normal✨ for us to feel those emotions and those emotions are ✨valid✨. We are not crazy in feeling those emotions at all. Some people just needs to be reminded of that.

1. Breathing Exercises

They taught us several breathing exercises like listening to music while a facilitator instructs us to breathe in and breathe out, Using our fingers- point finger of one hand passes from pinky of the other hand following the up and down motion. While going up, you have to inhale and down means you have to exhale just like the image below:

image source

another breathing exercise is the flower and the candle. In this, you have to pretend that one hand holds a flower and the other hand is holding a candle. You have to smell the pretend flower and blow on the imaginary candle and repeat it atleast three times.

I never thought that breathing exercises could do so much! It ✨refreshes the mind and body✨. You should try it too!

1. Any game that is done by group
   They taught us one game which is the hula-hoop that should pass through a group who formed a line and held each other's hand. This activity is so much fun!

Another one is a "mini-amazing race" where we were instructed to hold hands in our most comfortable way and pass through series of challenges they have prepared. Though it wasn't that grand, we enjoyed it very much!

So in this activity, we were taught that we have our ✨external strengths✨ that can help us go through our challenges in life. It may be our family, friends or someone else that we could count on.

1. T-Shirt activity.
   One of the facilitators told us a story and while doing so, he inserts instructions on what to do with the paper they gave us. He instructed us to fold the paper into a hat, then into a boat and lastly, he told us to cut the peeping triangle on the folded boat. When we opened it,then folded it again in half, it became a shirt.

He told us to write these things:

1. Our good traits
2. our Skills/talents
3. Our favorite things to do
4. Our dreams and aspirations
5. Our Favorite Number

After writing those, he assigned other facilitators for us and we formed a circle where we shared those we wrote to our groupmates.

That activity showed us that we also have ✨internal strength✨ that can help us recover or go through whatever we're going through.

There are so much more actually but I can only remember those three properly. You can actually search for other activity as well, depending on who you want to perform the PFA.

1. Tai Chi or slow exercises
   On this, one of the facilitators showed us some of his moves on Tai chi where I felt tired yet relaxed for the whole duration. He used music that soothes my heart and actions that felt like we were just going with the river's flow. It was a great feeling!

On our third day, they gave us situations where we are to apply all the things we have learned from the seminar. It was very fun! Each group prepared a series of activity that will help pur "pretend" learners to overcome their "pretend" Traumatic experience. 😍.

Here are some of the snaps we took during the seminar. Kindly read each pic's captions. 😁

Group Picture with the shirts we made

Group picture with my Districtmates showing the Albergo Hotel sign

My workmates at Albergo, Ma'am MJ and Mr. Ron

Me and Friends- we went on a walk going to The Mansion and took a groupie on our way back home.

Proud pic with my "shirt of internal strength"

Tuba District Participants with our Certificates

This is how beautiful Albergo Function hall is.

Groupie with Districtmates

I hope you learned from me. If you have questions on this, feel free to write it on the comments box and i'll gladly answer if I know the answer.

bonus
It was a 3-nights,3 days seminar and what's great was, we stayed at Albergo Hotel! It was where I had my 1st job! That's why I got so excited and had so much fun with my old workmates 😌.

Thank you again for being patient with my writing. I hope everyone is in their best shape as we part ways again. God bless!

@mama-ayn