The UB Psyche Org was invited to a Psychological First Aid (PFA) Training organized by the University of the Cordilleras Psychology-Behavioral Science (Psych-BeS) Society on May 25, 2024. The training session started from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM at the UC Auditorium featuring Dr. Mary Libeney Sito as the guest speaker. Attendees for the training were Eubelle Agpes, Brix Rentigrado, Asley Tamayo, Leslie Dayote, and Erry Abayon, marking a valuable opportunity for socialization and collaboration between psychology students from both institutions.
Psychological First Aid (PFA) is a humane, supportive response to individuals who may need support, aimed at reducing the initial distress caused by traumatic events and fostering immediate and long-term adaptive functioning and coping (Singaravelu, 2012). During the two-hour session, students learned about the basics of PFA, including its concepts, core principles, and ethics. Dr. Sito also presented the holistic model of health, which covers physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and spiritual aspects, emphasizing the importance of observing and understanding the traumatic stress response in individuals from this perspective before conducting PFA.
The session highlighted the significance and call for continual training of students in PFA, especially for programs aligned with helping professions, such as BS Psychology. Overall, the training was a successful learning experience for the University of Baguio Psyche Org Representatives as they developed further knowledge and passion for supporting and caring for others in need.
Written by Leslie Dayote
Photos courtesy of UC Psych-BeS Society
