Here is a message I just sent out to those who attending the Foundations of Psychosocial Support workshops I ran in NZ for the Ministry of Health last year:
Dear all,
I am sitting here in London listening to Radio NZ and watching the reports coming in from Twitter about the quake just a few hours ago outside Christchurch. I hope you and your family, friends, communities and colleagues – indeed, everyone in your networks are well and safe. I also understand that people near Christchurch are still experiencing aftershocks and are being asked to turn power off at the mains, and conserve water.
In the hours, days and weeks ahead, I suspect that may come across instances where people are worried, anxious, frightened, or just uncertain about their experiences and futures. Some will have experienced damage to their property which means that they cannot live where they normally live. Others will may have experienced injury – wither to them selves, or their loved ones. And this injury could be physical or non-physical, visible or non-visible. What we know from the research is that most people will be ok, especially if they have their usual resources to draw upon – especially their social networks and experience with coping with adversity successfully before in their lives. Others will need more support.
A while ago, you came along to the workshop we did together on psychosocial support. We talked about when it might be needed and how to try to ensure that services and individuals could help in appropriate ways. We also talked about the core actions of psychological first aid, and the information sheets that you could use yourselves and give to people – so they could understand more about the experiences they have gone through, and may yet go through – or that people who they care for may also experience.
If you can’t find the DVD with the videos that explain these concepts to you, I am attaching the link to the videos for you again. If you would like, I can also send you a folder with the information sheets which you can customise and print out to use as you assess as appropriate.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you think it would be helpful to.
Good luck in your endeavors to support those who have been affected. And keep yourselves safe.
Best wishes,
Sarb
Weblink: http://nzpsych.blip.tv/posts?view=archive&nsfw=dc
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