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Healing

Hope & Healing

          It is possible to take action to balance the scales of good and bad.
          Make your way through the guilt/shame/self-hatred, and separate the
          morally injurious event from the totality of who YOU are. 



           Topics on this page:
           Advice from Veterans
           Connect with your authentic Self & Soul
           Corrective experiences
           Process your experiences with a professional
           Reconnect with Self & others
 
 

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hope

Advice from Veterans 

"It comes down to you wanting to make a change in your life"

(2 mins)

"Recognize how much responsibility that you do have."

(2 mins)

"When we talk about moral injury, we seek a deeper understanding of our humanity. We seek healing in some spiritual sense" ~ Veteran Tyler E. Boudreau

Self

Moral injury disconnects you from your Self, and undermines your self-worth. 
Self is the seat of your consciousness, a rich inner resource that you were born with. You can access your inner healing wisdom by reconnecting with your most authentic Self. 

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Self

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The totality of a person's being. Capitalized to denote its centrality and sacredness.

~ Carl Jung

Self

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Is characterized by​​

Confidence     

Calmness​   

​Creativity     

Clarity

Curiosity     

Courage     

Compassion   

Connectedness

~Dr. Richard Schwartz

Soul

Soul connects us to life, to death, to love, and loss, provoking and punctuating the very things that make us human. ~ Simon Yugler

Soul

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The intangible experience

of being that persists

throughout one’s life,

a vital force or essence

endowing one with the

capacity to fully perceive

the world.

~Ingerman 2006

Soul

Image by Mohamed Nohassi
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The spiritual part of a person that is believed to give

life to the body & 

in many religions is believed

to live forever.

~ Merriam Webster 

Moral injury can be understood as a type of Soul loss, which is when a part of one’s vital essence fragments to escape the full impact of anguish from a horrific event.

Sometimes it sounds like: “A part of me died over there” or “I left a part of myself there”.  

 

In the experience of both Moral injury and Soul Loss - there are prominent feelings of being fragmented, or disconnected from Self - and consequently disconnected from others. This negatively impacts the ability to function in our social interconnected system. 

 

Thus, the concept of the Soul (the sentient being- the core of a person) is important to recognize. Especially as this is where one accesses their inner healing wisdom. 

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most
massive characters are seared with scars. ~Kahlil Gibran

Authentic Self
Corrective Experiences

For corrective experiences you may:

  • Make an effort to do good things right where you are, to rebalance the scales of good and bad

  • Take reparative actions to solve problems in your community

  • Be a part of a community with kindred attachments

  • Develop a sense of belonging and shared humanity

  • Feel valued and recognize your value to others

  • Identify a core value and act on it

  • Practice Self-compassion

        (Litz & Carney, 2018)

Professional Support

Professional Support

Sharing painful memories in therapy can help you accept- but not be defined by the moral injury and encourage you to reclaim good parts of Self. 

There are many options available, you can start by checking out what is available through Veterans Affairs

This Veteran speaks about working through
guilt & seeking support
(1 minute)

A Veteran in treatment shared about their Moral Injury:
"It's like the thing that makes you, 'you' is broken. It took some time, help, and forgiveness to get where I am now-- Living Again"

Reconnect with Your Self and Others​

Self-forgiveness can be practiced by repeatedly letting go of the negative feelings associated with an event. This removes barriers and helps you engage in positive actions- with as much compassion toward yourself and others as possible. There is healing power in building and maintaining social connections and supports. 
We heal in relationship with others. 

​

  • Practice optimism, look for the positive things 

  • Share your gratitude with others 

  • Attend a supportive group, church, or organization

  • Reach out to others

  • Offer help to others

  • Pray

  • Hug your child or family member

  • Tell someone that you love- that you love them

  • Take a nice shower and dress up

  • Go for a walk in nature

  • Reengage with a hobby that you used to enjoy

  • Listen to music or make music

  • Work out

  • Eat a good meal

  • Avoid alcohol

  • Breathe

  • Get creative, engage in a hobby or interest

  • Use a self-reflection tool

Everybody is doing Gratitude wrong
(2 mins)

Reconnect
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