The Psychological First Aid (PFA) training will provide practical information to attendees to help meet the immediate needs of individuals impacted by a traumatic event. Attendees will gain practical information, knowledge and skills towards provision of Psychological First Aid, in the immediate aftermath of disasters. They will receive an overview of the impact traumatic events have on an individual and specific techniques on how to work with individuals impacted by an event. The training will have a mix of classroom instruction and role plays. Particular emphasis will be placed on the 8 core components of Psychological First Aid. Upon completing this training individuals will be able to provide psychological first aid to individuals impacted by an event.
There will be two classes. April 2, 2025 for Police Officers and April 3, 2025 for Dispatchers. Both classes will be 8am-4pm at the Beverly Police Department 175 Elliott St., Beverly, MA 01915.
The course will be presented by Sara Gaer, MA. Sarah Gaer is a suicide loss survivor and holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has twenty five years’ experience in the field of mental health care. She is a proud alumna of Holyoke Community College Class of ’98 and Antioch New England University Class of ’09. Her graduate degree work was focused on military veterans and trauma.
Register for training here.