Book excerpt: Learn the essential skills of psychological first aid from the experts—the creators of the Johns Hopkins RAPID PFA method. Psychological first aid, or PFA, is designed to mitigate the effects of acute stress and trauma and assist those in crisis to cope effectively. PFA can be applied in emergencies, including disasters, terrorist attacks, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In the second edition of this essential guide, George S. Everly, Jr., and Jeffrey M. Lating draw on their experiences in Kuwait after the Gulf War, in New York City after the September 11 attacks, and during the COVID-19 pandemic to describe the principles and practices of PFA in an easy-to-follow, prescriptive, and practical manner. Informed by current events, the second edition includes updated chapters as well as three completely new chapters on • cultural awareness • PFA considerations with children • the use of PFA to facilitate community mental health and resilience Aimed at mental health practitioners, first responders, and global health disaster teams such as Médecins Sans Frontières and the World Health Organization, but also beneficial to those with little or no previous mental health training, The Johns Hopkins Guide to Psychological First Aid thoroughly explains RAPID PFA. RAPID, a unique evidence-informed and evidence-based PFA method, follows a set of easily understood principles. In each chapter, Everly and Lating—who have traveled nationally and internationally to teach the RAPID PFA model in numerous public health, fire, police, military, business, and faith-based settings—provide a step-by-step approach and include a key point summary. A unifying case exemplifies each phase of the RAPID PFA model in an ongoing dialogue that presents ideal PFA responses, examples of common mistakes, and various outcomes.