BASIC PROTOCOL
FIRST STEP, PREVIOUS TO ANY OTHER PROTOCOL

(Jarero et al., 1998).

The first protocol begins with an integration exercise (which object is to obtain the children´s attention and establish rapport). We use a little Mexican doll called Lupita, a little drum and a dolphin puppet but any other materials may be used. The goal is to achieve the objectives using the techniques preferred by the mental health professional in each case.

Lupita, the doll, introduces the drum and the dolphin to her friends. The therapist plays soft sounds on the drum and asks the children to approach as giants; when he/she plays loud sounds, they are to retreat as midgets. (The aim here is: a)To familiarize the children with the space where they are going to work/play; b) To encourage the children to approach the therapist in order to establish rapport and trust; c) To facilitate group formation.

The dolphin is used by the therapist to show the children different feelings. The therapist makes the dolphin form big and small mouths, mouths that look happy, sad, bored, afraid, surprised, angry, etc., and the children follow, imitating the expressions of the dolphin (CISM/ICISF: the aim is to educate and prepare the children to take them from the cognitive to the emotional).

In the next step, the therapist asks the children to close their eyes and use their imagination to go to a place where they feel safe and/or calm. Once there, the children are asked to touch the palm of one hand with the thumb of the other, and while they are doing that, they are told that they have an invisible button in their hand, which they can press in the future to go back to their safe place. Another form of this kind of anchoring is tapping on their knees or the "Butterfly Hug (BH); (EMDR: the aim is to teach them this technique/resource so they can use it as needed and trigger it with only pushing the invisible button, tapping their knees, or with the butterfly hug – "the hug of self love").

The therapist asks the children what colors they saw in their safe place and waits for their answer (the aim is to verify that the children did find their safe place).

At the end of this exercise, the therapist asks the children to raise their hand if they have been to Mexico; then to raise their hand if they have been to the North Pole; then to do it if they have trouble sleeping; if they are scared; if they feel sad; if they have nightmares; if they feel angry; if they often think about and remember the natural disaster they suffered. These questions were made by suggestion of Dr. Francine Shapiro as a way of measuring the impact of the event before and after the application of the protocol. The children who raise their hand at each instance are counted for other team members and if possible (if they are still in the shelter), the questions are repeated to the same group one or two weeks after the application of the protocol; the variations are then registered.

The therapist adds: " It is normal for you to Butterflyfeel this way, you are normal boys and girls who have suffered an abnormal experience, and that is why it is normal for you to have these feelings. It is also normal to have different feelings from other children, since each one feels different and that is normal." (CISM/ICISF: the aim is to validate the signs and symptoms of post traumatic stress).

The therapist goes on: " It is important that you talk to the people you trust about your feelings, talking is going to make you feel better." (CISM/ICISF: the aim is to help in the recuperative process).

During this protocol and during all the others, the rest of the mental health professionals form an "Emotional Protection Team" (EPT) around the children in order to be aware of their emotional reactions and help them when necessary.