Starting university life brings a range of new experiences, along with challenges that are not always easy to navigate. The ability to maintain mental health is therefore an important part of the support students need from the beginning of their university journey.
To equip new students with the knowledge and skills to maintain mental health, FEB UGM recently held a Mental Health and Sexual Violence Prevention session as part of the SIMFONI 2026 university orientation program. The session featured Dr. Tri Hayuning Tyas, S.Psi., M.A., a psychologist and lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM).
During the session, she introduced the concept of Psychological First Aid (PFA), an approach to helping strengthen the psychological well-being of individuals experiencing a crisis.
“PFA is neither therapy nor a way to resolve a crisis. It is a way of responding to a crisis,” she explained.
She introduced the three principles of PFA: Look, Listen, and Link. Look involves observing changes in a person’s behavior. In the Listen stage, individuals are allowed to be heard without judgment, helping restore their sense of safety. Meanwhile, Link involves connecting them with available sources of support.
“PFA is one of the most effective ways for a community to support one another, helping create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, without exception,” she said.
In the session on the prevention and handling of sexual violence, she also introduced the 5M strategy, which serves as a shared commitment among the FEB UGM community: understand, prevent, avoid, report, and provide support. She emphasized that the decision to report rests entirely with the survivor.
“Whether to report or not is the right of the person who experienced the violence,” she stressed.
She also reminded students to practice empathy and mutual respect when interacting on social media. Every post should take other people’s feelings into consideration, as one’s digital footprint also reflects their personal image as well as that of their university.
Report: Najwa Anggi Namira
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
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