"Back to the Future": Narrative Treatment for Post-Traumatic, Acute Stress Disorder in the Case of Paramedic Mr. G

Abstract

This is a case study of the successful treatment of Mr. G. A young paramedic in the Israeli army, Mr. G had recently experienced a severe traumatic event that involved the grisly task of carrying a terrorist's body parts past a dangerous border, while fearing capture or injury. Two days following the event, Mr. G appeared at our Clinic manifesting Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), which included post-traumatic stress symptoms like recurrent, upsetting images of the event; sleep disturbance; dissociation; somatic complaints like vomiting; and difficulty in returning to the military. In assessing and treating Mr. G's problems, we employed a new narrative therapy model that we call "Back to the Future" (named after the American movie), since the approach emphasizes jumping narratively between the past and the future in order to treat the trauma in the present.