A Humanitarian Approach to Good Practice, Ethics and Efficacy: First Aid for Stress and Trauma (F.A.S.T.)

First Aid for Stress and Trauma (F.A.S.T.) is a trauma-informed approach designed to deliver safe, accessible, and culturally responsive psychosocial support in humanitarian and crisis contexts. Developed collaboratively with survivors of war, disaster, and systemic violence, F.A.S.T. reflects principles of participatory action and prioritizes co-creation, equity, and embodied healing. Rather than relying on verbal disclosure or intensive cognitive processing, F.A.S.T. emphasizes physiological regulation, safety, and immediacy, aligning with polyvagal theory and global mental health priorities for scalable and culturally adaptable interventions. The framework is structured around a number of core foundations, including: polyvagal-informed regulation, the Power Threat Meaning Framework, ex juvantibus reasoning, depotentiation through minimal exposure, and empowerment through self-help and peer-to-peer support. Its approach, including Trauma Tapping Technique, Lymphatic Breathing Techniques, F.A.S.T.-Adapted Self-Havening, and a further Toolbox of Techniques of Adaptive Methods for Context-Dependent Practice, offer low-threshold, non-invasive regulation tools that can be applied individually, within communities, or alongside clinical care. A core ethical commitment underpins the F.A.S.T. approach: no suffering, no unnecessary re-traumatization, and cultural humility.