Summary:
There is growing interest in moral injury, defined as the internal emotional turmoil experienced when moral values are transgressed. First identified among active-duty military and veterans following combat operations, moral injury is now recognized in first responders, healthcare professionals, clergy, and others exposed to severe trauma or moral conflict. It may arise from perpetrating, failing to prevent, witnessing, or being victim to acts perceived as moral transgressions, as well as from events that disrupt one’s moral or spiritual worldview. Persistent symptoms can include guilt, shame, betrayal, loss of trust, spiritual struggle, and diminished meaning, often resulting in relational strain, depression, or self-harm if unaddressed. In January 2025, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) formally recognized “Moral Problems” within the Spiritual and Religious Problems Z-code category of the DSM-5-TR, providing a standardized framework for diagnosing and addressing moral and spiritual struggles. This session equips mental health professionals, chaplains, clergy, and Christian counselors to recognize and assess moral injury, distinguish it from PTSD and moral distress, and apply evidence-based, spiritually integrated interventions. Emphasis is placed on approaches that address confession, forgiveness, reconciliation, and actions that promote the good that will ultimately restore moral identity and promote healing and renewed purpose.
APA, ASWB, NBCC, IBCC, NAADAC, Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling