CIU's Early Post-Traumatic Intervention

The Department of Psychology at Cyprus International University (CIU) organized a conference titled "Early Post-Traumatic Intervention: Psychological First Aid." Clinical Psychologist Dr. Çağay Dürü was the speaker at the conference. With significant participation from students of the Psychology and Clinical Psychology programs, as well as multidisciplinary groups, the conference focused on the psychological processes individuals experience after traumatic events and the importance of early psychological first aid interventions.
Participants were informed about basic crisis intervention principles, resilience-enhancing approaches, and how to seek professional help. Dürü emphasized, "The traumatic moment hurts, and we want to distance ourselves and separate from it. However, as we distance ourselves, control is lost, and recovery is delayed. Psychological First Aid (PFA) is particularly important at this point because its main goal is to establish connection." He highlighted that psychological first aid is not only a skill for professionals but also one that should be learned by everyone in society. He also addressed issues that volunteer psychologists working in the field after a crisis should pay attention to and emphasized the importance of self-care for individuals.

During the event, students had the opportunity to discuss empathetic communication and support methods for trauma survivors through case examples. Additionally, an interactive session was held on the ethical dimensions of psychological first aid, cultural sensitivity, and professional boundaries. At the end of the conference, students asked Dürü various questions, gaining detailed insights into the support processes following trauma.