Author Description

PFA stands for psychological first aid, a recognized approach to supporting individuals who have experienced a distressing event that can be used in a variety of settings. PFA-TEACH is an evidence-informed strategy for applying psychological first aid in the school environment. It was designed specifically to be used by school staff with the primary mission of helping students and educators return to their respective roles within the school. This means helping both students and staff be present and intellectually engaged, while feeling physically and emotionally safe. PFA-TEACH is a step-by-step strategy for responding to and supporting students and colleagues in the immediate aftermath of a crisis, disaster, or other distressing incident. The acronym TEACH stands for each step in the psychological first aid process. TEACH means to build Trust, Educate with Empathy, Acknowledge and Address needs, Connect to Cope, and promote Hope.