By Kristofer Jake Villaruz

I would like to extend my appreciation to our HR Team for organizing the meaningful two-day workshop on Psychological First Aid (PFA).

The workshop gave us a better understanding of how we can help and respond to someone who may be experiencing emotional distress, difficulty, or going through a challenging situation. But more than the lessons and techniques, what really stayed with me is the realization that helping someone does not always mean giving them an answer or finding a solution to their problem.

Sometimes, people simply need someone who is willing to listen to them.

They may need someone who will listen without judgment, show respect, understand what they are going through, and make them feel that they are not alone. There are situations where we may not know exactly what to say or how to solve what someone is experiencing, but our presence can already mean something.

One of the things I learned from the workshop is that helping can come in different forms. Sometimes, our patience and willingness to listen can mean more than giving advice. Sometimes, being there, even without saying much, can provide comfort to someone who is struggling.

The workshop also reminded me of the importance of empathy. We may not fully understand what another person is going through, but we can always choose to listen and respect what they feel. We don’t always have to fix everything. Sometimes, being a shoulder to lean on is already a way of helping.

What made the two-day workshop even more meaningful was that it was not just about sitting in front of a PowerPoint presentation and listening to discussions. We were given the opportunity to practice what we learned. Through different activities and scenarios, some of us were able to experience how to approach and respond to a person who may be in distress.

Those activities made the lessons more real. It showed us that Psychological First Aid is not simply about knowing the right words. It is also about knowing how to be present, how to listen, how to show empathy, and how to respond with genuine concern.

This experience gave me a different perspective on what it really means to help someone. It is not always about fixing their problems or giving them the answer they are looking for. Sometimes, it is simply letting them know that someone is there, willing to listen, and willing to stay with them through a difficult moment.

The lessons we learned are not only useful inside the workplace. We meet different people every day, our colleagues, friends, family, and even strangers. We may never know who among them is silently carrying something heavy.

I hope that what we learned from Psychological First Aid will not remain as something we learned during a two-day workshop. I hope we can bring it with us to our everyday lives and become more understanding, patient, compassionate, and willing to listen.

Because sometimes, we may not be able to take away someone’s pain, but we can choose to be there while they carry it.