Our Future Psychologists Enhance Skills of Emergency Psychological Aid

Students of the Department of Psychology of Astrakhan State University have taken part in a training session arranged by specialists of the Psychological Service of the EMERCOM of Russia, which is the Federal Ministry for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters.

Specialists of the Southern Office of the EMERCOM Center for Emergency Psychological Aid were instructors and coaches at the event. The participants learnt much about types of stress reactions and about specific actions to overcome them; they were demonstrated different variants how emergencies might develop and how the injured might react to them.

The second part of the session was of hands-on character. The participants practiced simulated situations: the students acted as the injured (each of them received a card describing their particular situation), while their senior colleagues acted as specialists who were to aid them. Each situation was under special consideration; the participants tried to identify the most efficient techniques to provide emergency psychological aid.

At the end of the event, the students thanked specialists of the EMERCOM for such a good opportunity to acquire valuable professional skills.