Singapore artiste Yahui has been trained and certified in Psychological First Aid (PFA). Akin to a "walking helpline", she can extend psychological support to people in need notwithstanding the location, or time, to help save lives.
The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) has provided PFA training since 2016, one of the forerunners to do so. PFA is an intervention technique comprising theoretical and practical training consolidated in one day. The PFA training equips an individual with the skill sets to provide emotional support to someone in distress or undergoing a crisis. This paves the way for them to regain their composure while providing them with a sense of security.
Not being able to convey the right message
SRC's Ambassador - Yahui, is passionate about mental well-being. It was only after she had attended the PFA course that it dawned on her that she had been conveying the wrong message to people in need. For example, people would often say "You can do it." or "Time will heal all wounds." may come across as insensitive, failing to acknowledge the depth of psychological trauma.Yahui emphasised that being outside the affected person’s experience makes it hard to fully comprehend their struggles. Instead, a trained psychological First Aider would respond with empathy - “I understand that you need time and space to process things right now. But please feel free to reach out to me if you need a listening ear."
When the journalist enquired if she would leverage PFA skills to help family members or friends, she said that following her certification in the basic PFA course, she was motivated to enrol in the Advanced PFA course. Equipped with the PFA skills, Yahui understands that using the right words to convey a message is a skill and is now more mindful of her choice of words.
Besides that, Yahui disclosed that she has been collaborating with two partners on a new project in the entertainment sector, which is slated to be launched at the beginning of December. The confidential details will be embargoed till the launch. Though she did not provide monetary support to the new project, the collaboration enabled her to exercise her mental faculties and physical stamina while enabling her to acquire more knowledge and skills.
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Translated from the original article, ["雅慧获心理急救认证是 “行走的求助热线", Lianhe Zaobao, Pg 5, 10 October 2024". Any errors are the responsibility of the copyeditor.]
Translated by Qin Jiaxin, Volunteer Translator
English translation copyedited by Sondra Foo, Marketing & Communications