THE 2020

ONLINE AND
SELF-GUIDED
PFA MODULES
Supplemental to the
SEES Manual
 AUTHORS

PIA ANNA PERFECTO RAMOS, Ph.D.

EDUARDO C. CALIGNER, Ph.D.
ANNA KATRINA K. BERSAMIN, M.A.
Psychological Association of the Philippines

PROJECT SUPERVISION AND MANAGEMENT

RONILDA R. CO
Director IV, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service

PAOLO R. AQUINO
Project Development Officer III, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Service
 2020 Supplemental Self-Guided SEES Modules 1 - 4
Module I on PFA: Validating and Normalizing Feelings

By the end of the session, you should be able to;

• Identify feelings/reactions related to the pandemic/any form of disaster

• Accept that all feelings and reactions are normal and valid.

Introduction

How are you feeling today? You are now on page 1 of a set of pages that will contain modules
to help you talk about your experiences during the months of lockdown due to the pandemic or
maybe due to another disaster. I am sure you are eager to participate because there are many
things to talk about. There will be a total of 4 modules for you to answer in order to complete this
task.

You will be doing a lot of activities, and you will also learn from the readings and infographics
provided in this booklet. The aim of these activities is to help you feel better as you are provided
with ways to react to all the disruptions caused by the pandemic or the disaster. After you are
done answering all the 4 modules, you will need to submit these back to me so that I can give
you feedback on your answers. Let’s begin.

Look at the lines below. You are going to write a letter.

Pause and Think. Then write, My Dear Friend.

Using the lines on the next page, write to a friend about the following:

During the months of lockdown, what were the 5 routines or reactions you did at home? An
example would be; “I slept most of the time.” Or, “I watch television/GMA7/AbsCbn.” Others may
say,” Nothing. I help in the household chores.” Number them from 1-5, and write them down on
the front part of your letter.

On the back page of your letter, write to your friend about your feelings towards your
reactions or routines. An example of feeling would be; “I felt bored.” Or, “I felt afraid.” Others
may say, “I experienced anxiety.” You can repeat your feelings, but, you may not repeat the
routines or reactions. You can explain why you felt that way or why you reacted that way. You
do not need to write a long letter. A short one will do.
Once you are finished writing, I would like you to read the information entitled Common
Reactions of Students to Stressful Events. Compare your feelings to the feelings written inside
the box. Are there commonalities? Were there feelings that you also felt but that you were not
able to mention in your letter?
 Common Reactions of Students to Stressful Events

• feel a strong responsibility to the family.

• feel anxious brought about by uncertainty of the future.
• feel intense or prolonged grief for not being able to wake.
• may become self-absorbed and feel self-pity.
• may experience changes in their relationships with other people.
• may also start taking risks, engage in self-destructive behavior, have avoidant
behavior, and become aggressive.
• may experience major shifts in their view of the world accompanied by a sense of
hopelessness about the present and the future.
• may become defiant of authorities and parents while they start relying on peers
for socializing through social media.
• may feel guilty and anxious having been separated from their loved ones due to
lockdown.

I want you to know that all your feelings, all your reactions for the past days are valid. To validate
is to affirm that these feeling/s are happening. I want you to say to yourself, “ it is okay that I felt
this way. It is okay to not be okay’. I want you to know that all your emotions are real and true.
And that all of those, they are normal feelings. They are normal because other people may
also share the same feeling/s but the intensity of feelings is uniquely yours. Tell yourself, “all
these are normal feelings. Normal lang ang pakiramdam ko”.

Analysis

What are the common feeling/s to the usual routines of your everyday life? What are your shared
human experiences of Covid-19 or of the disaster that hit your town? Are they similar? Are they
dissimilar? Now that you have recognized your common humanity, you feel a sigh of relief from
knowing that you were not alone. You can empathize with each other. You accept each other.
These are all normal feelings to stressful situations..If you wish, you can take a photo of the letter
and share it with your friend. I hope this empowers you to go on living.

Please read the handout entitled: When Terrible Things Happen. I am certain it will help you
learn more about how you can help yourself.
 Module I Handout: When Terrible Things Happen

Immediate Reactions

There are a wide variety of positive and negative reactions that students can experience during and immediately
after crisis situations. These Include:

Domain Negative Responses Positve Responses

Cognitive Confusion, worry, self-blame Determination courage, optimism, faith

Emotional Shock, sorry, grief, sadness, fear, anger, Feeling involved, challenged, mobilized
numb, irritability, guilt, and shame
Social Fights with others or does not speak Seeks out others who can help them, helps others
with others in need
Physiological Tired, headache, muscle tension, Alertness, readiness to respond, increased energy
stomachache, difficulty sleeping, fast
heart beat

Common negative reactions that may continue include:

Intrusive reactions

• Distressing thoughts or images of the event while awake or dreaming

• Upsetting emotional or physical reactions to reminders of the experience
• Feeling like the experience is happening all over again (“flashback”)
• Avoid talking, thinking, and having feelings about the traumatic event
• Avoid reminders of the event (places and people connected to what happened)
• Restricted emotions; feeling numb
• Feelings of detachment and estrangement from others; social withdrawal
• Loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities

Physical arousal reactions

• Constantly being “on the lookout” for danger, startling easily, or being jumpy
• Irritability or outbursts of anger, feeling “on edge”
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep, problems concentrating or paying attention

Reactions to trauma and loss reminders

• Reactions to places, people, sights, sounds, smells, and feelings that are reminders of the disaster
• Reminders can bring on distressing mental images, thoughts, and emotional/physical reactions
• Common examples include: sudden loud noises, sirens, locations where the disaster occurred, seeing
people with disabilities, funerals, anniversaries of the disaster, and television/radio news about the
disaster

Positive changes in priorities, worldview, and expectations

• Enhanced appreciation that family and friends are precious and important
 • Meeting the challenge of addressing difficulties (by taking positive action steps, changing the focus of
thoughts, using humor, acceptance)
• Shifting expectations about what to expect from day to day and about what is considered a “good
day”
• Shifting priorities to focus more on quality time with family or friends
• Increased commitment to self, family, friends, and spiritual/religious faith

When a Loved One Dies, Common Reactions Include:

• Feeling confused, numb, disbelief, bewildered, or lost
• Feeling angry at the person who died or at people considered responsible for the death
• Strong physical reactions such as nausea, fatigue, shakiness, and muscle weakness
• Feeling guilty for still being alive
• Intense emotions such as extreme sadness, anger, or fear
• Increased risk for physical illness and injury
• Decreased productivity or difficulties making decisions
• Having thoughts about the person who died even when you don’t want to
• Longing, missing, and wanting to search for the person who died
• Children and adolescents are particularly likely to worry that they or a parent might die
• Children and adolescents may become anxious when separated from caregivers or other loved ones
What Helps

• Talking to another person for support or spending time with others

• Engaging in positive distracting activities (sports, hobbies, reading)
• Getting adequate rest and eating healthy meals
• Trying to maintain a normal schedule
• Scheduling pleasant activities
• Taking breaks
• Reminiscing about a loved one who has died
• Focusing on something practical that you can do right now to manage the situation better
• Using relaxation methods (breathing exercises, meditation, calming self-talk, music)
• Participating in a support group
• Exercising in moderation
• Keeping a journal
• Seeking counseling
What Doesn’t Help

• Using alcohol or drugs to cope

• Extreme withdrawal from family or friends
• Overeating or failing to eat
• Withdrawing from pleasant activities
• Working too much
• Violence or conflict
• Doing risky things (driving recklessly, substance abuse, not taking adequate precautions)
• Extreme avoidance of thinking or talking about the event or a death of a loved one
• Not taking care of yourself
• Excessive TV or computer games
• Blaming others Source: Brymer et al., 2012
ABSTRACTION/REFLECTION

Now that you knew that what you were feeling or how you were reacting was
similar to the one on the list, how do you feel now about yourself? Always
remember that your reactions to the stressful situation are normal at the moment
or until about three months. Most young people will react in the same manner.
You are not being crazy when you have those feelings. Also, the next time you
feel that way, try to take ten deep breaths. Slowly. And then try to do letter writing
and send the letter to your close friends. This will help you calm down. Can we try
to do that together? Count 1-10 as you breathe in and out.

APPLICATION

Today you learned that our reactions to the stressful events of Pandemic or any
other form of disaster were normal and valid. How does this new learning that
my reactions and feelings toward Covid-19/disaster were normal after all help
me?

How can you apply this learning to your life especially after experiencing such a
pandemic?

Closure

Read your letter again. Compare how you feel now that you know that those feelings
were normal and valid? Say to yourself: my feelings are valid. My reactions are
normal. My feelings and reactions are valid and normal.