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Summary

During her presentation on 'Psychosocial Counselling Service to the Disaster-affected People' Senior Psychologist Ms. Chetana Lokshum explored Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) within the context of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). She shed light on the significance of psychological counseling throughout the different phases of the disaster cycle, including prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation/reconstruction.

She talked about the three phases of psychosocial intervention; the pre-phase focuses on raising awareness, providing training, and establishing robust support networks. In the immediate response phase, Psychological First Aid (PFA) and support groups play a crucial role in offering immediate assistance. Finally, the post-phase centers around psychosocial counseling and rehabilitation, involving the expertise of psychologists and psychiatrists. Ms. Lokshum stressed the urgent need for psychosocial support programs to mitigate the risk of compassion fatigue among service providers and to educate community workers about their boundaries and limitations in this regard.