Heal the Soul Wound
of Moral Injury

🧠 What Is Moral Injury?
 

Moral injury happens when a person is forced to act—or is betrayed by a system that acts—in ways that violate their deepest values and sense of right and wrong. It’s not just about what was done, but what was undone: dignity, trust, conscience.

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Unlike PTSD, which stems from fear-based trauma, moral injury is soul-based. It leaves behind a wound that feels more like shame, grief, betrayal, or spiritual disorientation. It often emerges in places meant to help—like hospitals, schools, faith communities, or mental health systems—when people are silenced, misdiagnosed, coerced, or dismissed.
 

⚠️ Signs of Moral Injury Might Include:

• A lingering sense of guilt, even when you did nothing wrong

• Feeling spiritually cut off, numb, or disillusioned

• Anger or grief toward institutions that once offered hope

• A deep yearning to reclaim your voice, your values, your humanity
   

💔 Who Experiences It?

• Clients: Especially those in psychiatric or institutional settings where consent, culture, or story were ignored

• Caregivers: Who were told to follow harmful protocols or couldn’t act according to their conscience

• Family members: Who witnessed or participated in decisions they regret

• Peer workers and clinicians: Who are caught between systems and souls
   

💡 Why It Matters

Naming moral injury is a step toward healing. It restores a sacred truth:

You are not broken. Something broke trust with you.

When we address moral injury, we don’t just treat symptoms—we restore meaning, integrity, and connection. That’s the foundation for true recovery, both personal and systemic.