MODULE 1 SESSION GUIDE

Psychological First Aid

MODULE I – NORMALIZING AND VALIDATING FEELINGS

I. WARM-UP/UNFREEZING

Objectives:

At the end of this module, participants should be able to

 Identify feelings/reactions related to the disaster
 Accept that all feelings and reactions are valid (and normal)
 Express one’s feelings through art and body movements

Materials: Sound system, Microphone, Laptop, Bond Paper, crayons

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

ACTIVITIES:

Act. 1 Tableau

1. Divide the group into 4

2. Given the different situations, each group will create a tableau using bodies and
facial expressions to show their reactions to the following:
A. Somebody ask you, “How are you?” or “Kumusta Ka?” after a
storm/typhoon hit
B. Somebody helps organize the things from your room that you were able
to save during the storm
C. You see your mother crying over what happened during and after the
storm
D. You were given a full sack of relief goods containing food, medicines,
water and new clothes
E. You were able to submit a project despite the experience of a disaster

Act. 2 Music Art

1. Distribute bond papers and crayons to each participant.

2. Instruct them to use a crayon to draw out emotions and feelings while listening
to
the played music.
3. They need to pass on to their right the crayons they are using once the played
music will be change.

Analysis:

Ask: What feelings were you trying to represent with your actions?
What did you notice about your reactions to the different situations?
Are these normal reactions to stressful events?
What feelings or emotions were you trying to depict in the activities?

Module1PFA_Session Guide page1

Abstraction
Present the table below:
Possible emotions shown by students when terrible things happen
You may have feelings in your bodies such as:
 Being tired
 Headaches or stomachaches
 A fast heartbeat
 Feeling jumpy
 Having problem sleeping
You may have thoughts such as:
 Believing that what happened was your fault
 Images of the bad thing repeatedly popping into your head
 Nightmares
 Worrying that bad things will happen again
May act Differently
 You may not want to be around family or friends
 You may get into more fights
 You may have time concentrating or getting schoolwork done
 You may not want to think about, or have any feelings about the bad
thing that happened
 You may not have as much fun as you used to
 You may not want to be around things that remind you what happened

What Helps and What Doesn’t Help?

Not Helpful

Stressed out: Reactions to stressful events are normal and valid at the moment.
You are not being crazy when you feel those feelings.

Application: Community Singing

Normal ra diay, kay normal ra diay…
Akong gibati’g normal ra diay
Human sa linog, kahadlok’g kasubo
Kay feelings na normal ra diay…

REFERENCES:
Brymer M., Jacobs A., Layne C., Pynoos R., Ruzek J., Steinberg A., Vernberg E., and Watson P. Psychological First
Aid for Schools: Field Operations Guide, 2nd Edition. (2008). Los Angeles: National Child Traumatic Stress
Network & National Center for PT

Module1PFA_Session Guide page2