For firefighters, exposure to traumatic events is part of the job. However, a brave commitment to putting the safety of others before oneself doesn’t offset the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Rather, this mindset can make it harder for emergency response workers to seek the help they might need. The poignant documentary An Act of Service follows the experiences of Rob, a fire captain in Idaho, as he undergoes ketamine-assisted psychotherapy to treat his PTSD. The therapy is a promising line of treatment for PTSD, but conservative attitudes in the American West mean that treatments associated with long-illicit drugs are often viewed with suspicion. The US director Brandon Kapelow, who has spent more than a decade working in suicide prevention, sets out to destigmatise these treatments and challenge stereotypes about the uses and users of drugs with hallucinogenic effects.
Scenes from Rob’s therapy sessions are sensitively shot, allowing viewers a demystifying glimpse into the process of ketamine-assisted therapy. Rob’s relationship with his teenage daughter Keylie, who is facing her own mental health struggles, unfolds in parallel to the sessions. The two share their experiences and support each other as they face up to the very real challenges of healing. In another scene, Rob speaks to a friend who had thought of taking his own life. Through these skilfully observed interactions, Kapelow shows how Rob’s commitment to and openness about his therapeutic journey represent both an important step for himself, and another act of bravery and generosity.