To teach interested individuals – especially those who are likely to find themselves in times of crisis – there’s an upcoming workshop in Cortez that will cover how to offer emotional support in otherwise stressful situations.
The Psychological First Aid class is free to attend, thanks to Axis Health System and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response.
And it’s welcome to “anyone interested in learning new skills,” as far as emotional support goes, according to a news release.
People who work in disaster response, are teachers, clergy and/or church staff, volunteers and, more generally, community members “who many find themselves in a position to assist survivors in the wake of an emergency” will find the course helpful, the news release said.
Attendees will learn “key skills” like “assessing and addressing emotional needs, providing psychological support and promoting coping strategies in the aftermath of disasters,” the news release said.
“Participants will also learn how to identify signs of distress and refer individuals to appropriate mental health resources when necessary,” it said.
It’s on May 6 and 7 in the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office training room, 730 E. Driscoll St.
May 6 is the Psychological First Aid Class from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and attendees must complete that Tuesday class to attend the field response training on Wednesday, May 7 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Register online at train.org/Colorado/welcome. The course IDs are 1020568 for the Psychological First Aid class, and 1019466 for field response.
With questions, reach out to Nichole Glaser at Axis Health System, nglaser@axishealthsystem.org.
