SNHS-PFA-2021-____________________

THE 2020 ONLINE AND

SELF-GUIDED PFA MODULES

AUTHORS

PIA ANNA PERFECTO RAMOS, Ph.D.

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

This 2020 Online and Self-Guided Modules: Supplemental to the SEES Manual is intended
for use of Secondary Teachers, School Heads and identified Non-Teaching Personnel of
DepEd region and division offices for the provision of remote Psychological First Aid to
secondary learners.

©DepEd 2020

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The 2020 O/SG PFA Modules Supplemental to the SEES Manual
 Learners in the secondary level are likely to face stress, anxiety, fear, and other
strong emotions because of the current situation. The pressure to learn
independently, changes in their daily routine, and not being able to bond with their
friends can decrease their motivation to learn. The impact of COVID-19 may cause
them to struggle with mental health, and the school and the institutions must make
sure that we are prepared to give them a helping hand when they need it.

In this light, DepEd provided a remote Psychological First Aid (PFA) for
secondary learners on the first week of classes by the teachers using the 2020
Online and Self-Guided PFA Modules: Supplemental to the Supporting, Enabling
and Empowering Students (SEES) Manual, developed by the Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), in partnership with the Psychological
Association of the Philippines (PAP).
ALAIN DEL B. PASCUA
Undersecretary for
Administration
DepEd

As we start the School Year 2021-2022, allow us to help you help yourself, by
answering these modules as honestly as possible. These will help us gain a better
understanding of your feelings, insights and your current situation. Activities and
hand-outs will allow you to explore yourselves and what can you do especially in
this time of pandemic. Together, we can create a school community that is ready,
resilient and responsive.
JODIE MARIE R. JADIE, RGC
SNHS GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
0916-345-7698
(056)3114862-School Telephone Number
Guidance Notes:
1. Kindly write your answers for each activity ( ) in a separate and clean
sheet of paper. Write your complete name, your grade level and section, the
date you accomplished the tasks, the title of the module and activity, and the
name of your class adviser.
2. Once you are finished with the tasks, submit your answers together with the
PFA Booklet/ Modules to your class advisers.
3. You may put it in a folder or an envelope (portfolio) upon submission.
4. Your class advisers will look through your answers and provide feedback.
5. Please take extra care of yourselves, and the booklet/modules as well so that
other batches can still use the modules. Isang malaking tulong po ang pag-
iingat ninyo sa modules para sa ating kalikasan, sa ating gobyerno at sa
ating paaralan.

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 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 this 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.
USE A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER.
_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

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 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.

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 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 Positive Responses

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

Emotional Shock, sorry, grief, sadness, Feeling involved, challenged, mobilized

fear, anger, numb, irritability,
guilt, and shame
Social Fights with others or does not Seeks out others who can help them,
speak with others helps others in need
Physiological Tired, headache, muscle tension, Alertness, readiness to respond,
stomachache, difficulty sleeping, increased energy
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

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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 X

• 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

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 • 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 (Use a separate sheet of paper)

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.

________________________________________________________________________________

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 Module II on PFA: Calming Down and Managing one’s
Emotions and Thoughts
Objectives By the end of this module, you should be able to
• Identify positive ways to manage one’s emotions
• Practice calming down using a diaphragmatic breathing and the 3C’s of
Feelings and Thoughts • Be able to practice reframing one’s thoughts

Materials ball, paper, pen

Introduction

So far, we have discussed your routines and feelings during the past few months of
pandemic. Today, we shall focus on how to manage your feelings.

Remember when I asked you to identify your feelings and reactions to Covid-
19/disaster? Can you recall what those feelings were? Now. I want you to consider
some ways to help you manage your feelings of stress and anxiety

I want you to stay outdoors and play, “Catch the Ball” with your sibling or friend.
If it is not possible for you to do this with someone, you can also just throw the ball
towards a wall then catch it. After throwing and catching the ball for a while, think,
“what am I catching”?

Imagine that what you are catching are feelings. Those were some of the feelings you
caught during the lockdown/pandemic/disaster. They are feelings of fear, boredom,
anxiety, etc. Stop playing for a moment. You accepted the ball. Hold it. Look at it.
Accept the feeling. Say to yourself, “Yes, I was feeling afraid.” Or “Yes, I was feeling
anxious.”

Catching your Feelings It is always good to catch what you are feeling. It is a
normal and valid feeling. It’s okay to Not feel okay. But they are real and true only
as the not-so-normal situation that triggers it.

It is ok to not feel okay, in a not-so-ok-situation like the pandemic or any disaster.

Now, I want to invite you to do some diaphragmatic breathing. Breathe in
(Inhalation of Air).

A very slight pause before you exhale. Breathe out (exhalation of air). Breathe in
(inhalation of Air). A very slight pause before you inhale. Breathe out (exhalation of
air). Release all the feelings.

Check your Feelings Were those feelings helpful to me? You will probably answer
with both a yes and a no. That means that some of your feelings were helpful but
others were not.

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For instance, if you keep feeling fearful, do you need to stay in fear for long? How
helpful is fear to you? How accurate or appropriate is the feeling of anxiety, now?
How helpful is it to always be worrying about things? While thinking about this,
Breathe in and Breathe out (5x).

Change that Feeling

In this part, I want you to think of something else to help you feel better. This means
that you can replace that feeling. Some feelings are productive and useful while
some may be unproductive and useless.

It is because they are no longer appropriate to the situation. You have the power to
change your feelings by actually changing your thoughts about the feeling.

This process is called REFRAMING.. Where is the feeling coming from? Or, you can
ask, “Where is the ball coming from?” Why did it hit you? How do you manage your
feelings? You can manage it by changing the name of the ball into feelings of
gratefulness, understanding, happiness, and contentment. Breathe in. Breathe out
(5-10 times)

Alternative Activities

You can also do other breathing exercises, yoga poses, tai-chi with humor injected
into it, engaging in sports but in a non-competitive manner, or dance moves using
both slow and fast beats.

ANALYSIS

What do you feel? What do you think was the point of Catching, Checking and
Changing your feelings?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

What was the reason why you had to reframe your thoughts?

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

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ABSTRACTION

Can you compare how you feel right now with how you felt before we started
with the activity? Do you see some changes? Are the feelings positive? What are
these new changes in the way you feel at the moment?

Use the columns below labeled with the words “Before” on one side and “After”
on the other side. Under the word Before, write your feelings during the
pandemic/disaster. Under the word After, write your feelings at this very moment,
after going through the Catch, Check and Change Exercise.

BEFORE AFTER
(my feelings during the (my feelings right now)
pandemic/disaster)

APPLICATION
How can you apply your newfound knowledge to your daily life? After going through
the activity, I learned that the feelings that I CAUGHT could be…

_________________________________________________________________________

After a while, I CHECKED the feelings and realized that I could…

_________________________________________________________________________

And so I CHANGED my feelings into the following:

_________________________________________________________________________

Tell yourself: The next time when I experience intense feelings, I would take a deep
breath 5-10 times to calm down, and then check, change the feelings by reframing
my thoughts.

CLOSURE

As a way to close the session, repeat this line to yourself: “Emotions can be caught
(like in a ball), checked (on helpfulness or usefulness and accuracy) and changed.”

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 Module III on PFA: IDENTIFYING and ADDRESSING NEEDS

Objectives: By the end of this module, you should be able to

• To identify one’s current needs and those of one’s family
• Become aware of the various institutions, departments and centers present
within the school environment or the immediate community
• Take note of the important numbers and information regarding who to
approach for their needs

Materials: pen

ACTIVITY Saan ka Pupunta?

We have discussed about feelings, thoughts and how to accept and reframe them.
Today, you will learn about how to refer people in need. I want to show you the List
of Emergency Contact Numbers and Information.

List of Emergency Contact Numbers and Information

Organization Contact # and Office Address Contact Person

Barangay Health
Office
Barangay Disaster
Team
DSWD office

Hospital

Social Worker or
Guidance Counselor
Covid Screening
Center
Your School and/or
Adviser

Please COPY this list from this module set and place it somewhere in your home
where it would be visible to all members of your household. The list contains
numbers, names, and addresses of certain government and non-governmental
offices that we may all approach in order to have our family’s needs addressed.

You can add other emergency contact information to this list (like fire Department,
PNP, Water and Electric Hotlines)

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Let us now discuss the list of common needs of people after they have experienced
a disaster:

List of Common Needs of Survivors after a Disaster or Pandemic

General To find missing family members, to provide medical assistance to those
who were hurt, to gain access to list of casualties, to know how many
were affected, to provide proper burial facilities for those who have
passed on
Food and To provide waterline to homes, to gain access to source of water for
Water multiple purposes, food for x number of days

Family Goods Blankets, clothes, beddings, tarp, flashlight, storage boxes, underwater,
dignity kits, disinfectants/alcohol

Fuel For vehicle, gas for cooking, for kerosene lamps

Shelter Temporary shelter, building materials to be used for repairs

Would this list be complete? What do you think are the needs that are missing?
Let us talk about the needs of people during a pandemic. Look at the table below to
find out how best to access these needs:

List of Common Needs During a Pandemic and How to Access Them

Relief Goods To receive relief goods and “ayuda” or from the Barangay
level, City Mayor, and DSWD.

Selling of Product Is your family involved in selling some products or goods?

and Goods They too, need to get permits to travel and to sell their basic
goods and commodities. Go to your Barangay Center to
issue the permit.

Transportation If you need to travel within your area of vicinity, go to your

within your area. Barangay Center and ask for permission to go to a Grocery
Store, Market place, Supermarket or Pharmacy store. A
quarantine pass is issued by your Barangay. Wearing
facemask is always needed.

Transportation Go to your Barangay Center to get a travel pass that will

outside your city or allow you to pass major thoroughfares. Make sure you are
municipality. Covid-free. Make sure also that you wear your face-mask.
They also provide you with vehicles.

Cash Assistance or The DSWD releases cash amounts in three tranches to poor
Social Amelioration but deserving families. Contact your local DSWD.
Program (SAP)

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 Cash Assistance to Overseas Foreign Workers (OFW) and workers who have
OFW been displaced may avail of Government Cash Aid by the
DOLE.

Now look at the Needs Form below. On the first column, list down all the members
of the family whom you live with. On the second column, identify the immediate
needs of this person that your family cannot address as of this moment. On the
third column, identify where you can refer this person to or who you can approach
in order to ask for help regarding the needs of this person. If you do not know
anyone who can help that person, just leave it blank first.
Needs Form

Family/Relative/Friend Current Immediate Need Refer to

Congratulations on being able to identify where you can refer your loved ones to in
order to get help. It is not easy to be able to do this so if you were able to do so,
then you did a great job!

Can we talk about what you think your own needs are? Who can you
approach in order to address your own needs?

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ANALYSIS

Why do you think it is important for all of you to learn about whom you can go to
for your own needs and the needs of your family?

Why do you think it is important for you to learn about whom you can go to for your own
needs and the needs of your family?

I would like to commend you for knowing whom you can approach in times of need. I am
happy to know that they too have a good support system in you. It’s good to know that they
can depend on you.

ABSTRACTION

Think about news reports that showed how at times, even these linkages could not do
their responsibilities efficiently. Why do you think these groups had a hard time? Can you
also recall some great or good stories about how other groups were able to help you very
well?

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 Module IV on PFA- SOURCES OF STRENGTHS

Rationale
The aim of this module is to encourage you to revisit your strengths in order to support your
self-efficacy to deal with their situation. In order to encourage a hopeful outlook, the module
serves to reinforce sources of support and internal and external resources.

Activity: Ang Saranggola at Ako

Objectives: By the end of this module, you should be able to

• Identify personal, social, and emotional sources of strengths during and in
the aftermath of the disaster/stressful situation
• Identify your internal and external sources of strength

Materials: markers/crayons, pen

Introduction

Hi! During the first day, we discussed validating and normalizing our feelings. Last
Tuesday, we talked about how to calm down and manage our feelings. Yesterday, we
talked about our needs and how to address them.

How are you today? You just have one last module to do before you reach the end of these
PFA sessions.

Today, we will focus on your sources of strength. This is our way of reminding that you
have resources within yourself or with others that have allowed you to begin to face the
new normal-your process of recovery.

One the next page is a drawing of a kite or what we call a saranggola. Another name for it
is, Guriyon or Bulador. Among the Cebuanos, it is called Banog-Banog.

Can you tell me what makes it go up in the air? You are right, it needs the wind to go up in
the air. What can make it strong enough to not break by air? It needs good needs a strong
brace. It needs good material. It needs a line or a long string. The paper must be properly
glued. And it needs a strong brace.

Just like a kite, you too have what it takes to fly. On each part of the kite’s diamond, Kindly
write down what you think are your sources of strength. What makes you strong despite
what you have gone through during the past few months of pandemic? An example would
be, “ang pagiging matatag, buo ang loob, masayahin, at may tiwala sa sarili.”

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 Can you also identify what or who acts like the wind for you? Who provides
you with support? Who or what helps you soar? On the areas outside the kite, write
down the names of these people or things that act like the wind for you.

Take time to color your drawing. Below it, write a brief explanation about your sources of
strength and the people and things who act like the wind to help you fly or soar.

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

ANALYSIS

What have you realized about yourself after drawing the kite?

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

ABSTRACTION

How are you similar to the kite? What are your strengths as a person?

__________________________________________________________________________________

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APPLICATION

The next time you feel weak, imagine your saranggola in order to remind yourself that you
have a number of sources of strength? Finally, can you write a poem with one stanza and
4 lines (isang saknong na may 4 na linya o taludtod ng tula) about your sources of strengths?

Example: Ang Saranggola ko at Ako

Ang saranggola ko at ako
Parehong-pareho
Ako ay Matatag, Sya rin ay Matatag
Ako ay di Babagsak, sya din ay di
babagsak Tangayin man ng hangin
Hinding hindi matitinag!

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

CLOSING

Facing the mirror, read and recite out loud the poem you have written about your sources
of strength.

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