Sometimes getting to the other side of trauma requires a guide.
We can help.
What is Psychological First Aid ?
First aid is the initial response in any crisis. Psychological first aid is a triage process.
When a community is impacted by a disaster or a large traumatic event, our emotional well-being is inevitably affected in the aftermath. Community leaders might not feel equipped or have the tools to care for the mental health needs or refer members of the community they serve to the best locations to find the assistance they need. We can help.
How does it work?
Psychological first aid involves the understanding of what a community needs.
We use the psychological first aid model to provide support and training to community leaders in communities that are under-resourced in mental health services in Sri Lanka and the U.S.
Community leaders learn to provide psychological first aid to people in an emergency by employing the RAPID model: Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition.
In the US, we may employ elements of psychological first aid, however, we primarily focus on immediate support with our qualified staff or referral to community resources that are developed and readily available.
Why Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka is a beautiful island with a rich cultural history and a resilient people who represent the best that this nation offers. Enmeshed within this rich tapestry Sri Lanka has been mired in several significant upheavals over many years. In 1983 Dr. Davamony’s family was driven out of Sri Lanka after his family was targeted at the beginning of what ended up turning into a civil war that dragged on for two decades with thousands of lives lost and survivors left with significant emotional and sometimes physical scars. In 2004 the island again experienced a catastrophe, with a tsunami that took over 30,000 lives and left many without homes. More recently, in 2019 the terrorist bombings of several churches on Easter Sunday took the lives of over 250 adults and children. At present, Sri Lanka, along with the world, faces the carnage left in the wake of Covid-19. The substantial weakening of the nation has affected the people and put the nation’s economy on a precipice.
The persistent challenges that face Sri Lanka have created deep fissures in the emotional lives of many Sri Lankans. The periods of relative peace and stability are sandwiched between traumatic events that have a lasting impact.
Dr. Davamony has committed his career to guiding people toward emotional wellness. He is honored to provide what support he can for the people of his home country of Sri Lanka in addition to his work in the Redlands area.
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Support our efforts
Your donations will be used to help and support a community's mental health needs on the beautiful island of Sri Lanka; which has experienced a string of trauma incidents in the recent past.
*Anova Family Services is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
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Join our Efforts
If you’re a community leader interested in learning more about Psychological First Aid and how it can benefit your community, let us know!
