Presents a comprehensive treatment programme for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using the technique of debriefing. Debriefing attempts to prevent the development of the initial response pattern of the individual to symptoms and then into a disorder. The individual usually perceives their experience following the traumatic event as abnormal reactions, and in debriefing, this is reframed as normal reactions to an abnormal event. The emphasis on the reactions as normal prevents cognitive reappraisal of oneself as abnormal when they experience the symptoms. The primary aim of debriefing is to reduce the negative impact of the event and to speed up the recovery process. The case of a 7-yr-old female who was referred for an evaluation of her change in behavior and school refusal following a fire that engulfed part of her family home is presented to illustrate the use of the debriefing technique.