Psychological First Aid

Simple, powerful skills for supporting others

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is the mental and emotional equivalent of medical first aid. You'll learn a practical, evidence-based approach to helping someone who's experiencing distress due to a personal crisis, workplace stress, or community disaster.

What is Psychological First Aid?

PFA is a 'best practice' approach to providing initial emotional and practical support after a traumatic event. It's not counselling or therapy — it's the immediate human support that helps someone feel safe, calm, and connected to help.

You'll learn what PFA is and critically, what it isn't. This course clarifies boundaries so you can support others confidently without overstepping your role.

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The "Look, Listen, Link" framework

Look: Recognise the warning signs
Learn to identify when someone needs psychological support, understanding distress reactions and how trauma affects people differently.

Listen: How to check in and respond supportively
Develop active listening skills, calming techniques, and ways to communicate compassion without trying to "fix" the person or their situation.

Link: Connect people to the right help
Know how to refer someone to specialised support when they need more than PFA can provide, and how to adapt your approach to different cultural contexts.

The five elements of PFA

You'll practice applying PFA's five core elements through realistic scenarios:

1. Promoting safety and comfort
2. Calming and stabilising
3. Gathering information on immediate needs
4. Offering practical assistance
5. Connecting to social support and services

Hands-on practice

This isn't just theory. You'll role-play scenarios and practice the skills in a supportive learning environment. By the end, you'll feel confident using PFA in real situations.

Looking after yourself

An essential part of this course is learning to maintain your own wellbeing while supporting others. You'll explore strategies for managing vicarious trauma and preventing burnout.

How you'll learn

Face-to-face (7 hours, full day)
Join us in person for interactive learning, group discussions, and hands-on practice.

You'll benefit from this course if you:

• Support employee wellbeing in an HR or management role
• Work in education, community services, or social support
• Want to help colleagues, whānau, or community members through tough times
• Respond to crises as part of your role (emergency services, healthcare, community organisations)
• Want practical skills beyond "just being there" for someone in distress

What you'll be able to do

After this course, you'll have the confidence to:

• Recognise when someone is struggling emotionally
• Approach and support them without feeling out of your depth
• Use active listening to help them feel heard and validated
• Offer practical help that makes a genuine difference
• Know when and how to connect them to professional support
• Protect your own wellbeing while helping others

Who should not take this course

This course is designed for adults (18+) due to the nature of the content, which includes discussions of trauma and distress.

What PFA is not

This is important to understand:

• Not therapy or counselling — You're providing immediate support, not professional mental health treatment
• Not a substitute for professional help — You'll learn when someone needs specialised care
• Not about "fixing" someone — PFA focuses on supporting people through their own coping process

How this supports your workplace or community

Organisations that train staff in PFA build resilience and create supportive cultures where people know how to help each other through difficult times. This training helps you:

• Respond confidently when a colleague, student, or community member is in distress
• Support your team through organisational change or challenging events
• Create psychologically safe environments
• Reduce the impact of traumatic events on your organisation or community

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What you need

To attend:

• You must be 18 years or older due to course content involving trauma and distress
• No prior experience or qualifications required
• Open mindset and willingness to practice new skills

Please bring:

• Note-taking materials if desired (course materials provided)

To receive your certificate:

• Attend the full 7-hour course
• Participate in discussions and practice exercises

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Your certification

Certificate awarded: Psychological First Aid Attendance Certificate
Accreditation: Based on World Health Organization (WHO) PFA guidelines
No expiry: This is a skills-based course, not a compliance certification

Individual vs. Group bookings

Individual bookings:
Book your spot through our regular booking system. Join others from different organisations and backgrounds.

Group bookings:
Perfect for organisations training entire teams. We can deliver at your workplace or online for your group exclusively.
Email wellbeing@redcross.org.nz for group quotes and available dates.

Why train your whole team?

Organisations see better outcomes when multiple staff members are trained in PFA:

• Consistent approach to supporting people in distress
• Shared language and framework across your team
• Stronger organisational resilience
• Culture where seeking and offering support is normalised

Workplace funding

Many organisations fund PFA training as part of employee wellbeing or professional development budgets. Check with your manager or HR team about:

• Professional development funding
• Wellbeing programme budgets
• Team training allowances

Flexible booking

Need to reschedule? Contact us at least 2 business days before your course and we'll move you to another date at no charge.

Cancellations: Full cancellation policy details are provided when you book. Please refer to our First Aid Training Terms and Conditions for further information.