Description: Moral Injury Workshop was developed by Robyn Walser to facilitate working with people who have experienced a variety of moral violations and addresses a wide range of moral emotions—from guilt and shame to contempt and anger. It offers an approach through which therapists can help clients move beyond their moral pain, reconnect with a fuller sense of self, and re-engage with deeply held values.

Objectives:

1. Understanding Moral Injury: Participants will gain a thorough understanding of moral injury, including its causes, manifestations, and the wide range of moral emotions it encompasses, such as guilt, shame, contempt, and anger.

2. Therapeutic Approaches for Moral Injury: Attendees will learn effective therapeutic approaches to help clients move beyond their moral pain, reconnect with their sense of self, and re-engage with deeply held values.

3. Enhancing Empathy and Compassion in Therapy: Clinicians will develop skills to enhance empathy and compassion in their therapeutic practice, improving their ability to support clients dealing with moral injuries.

Competencies Acquired:

1. Identification and Assessment of Moral Injury: Ability to identify and assess moral injuries in clients, recognizing the associated emotions and impacts on the individual’s well-being.

2. Intervention Techniques for Moral Pain: Proficiency in employing intervention techniques to help clients work through moral pain and facilitate reconnection with their values and sense of self.

3. Cultivating Therapeutic Presence: Enhanced ability to cultivate a therapeutic presence characterized by empathy and compassion, essential for working with clients experiencing moral injury.

Bibliographic Titles:

1. Litz, B. T., Lebowitz, L., Gray, M. J., & Nash, W. P. (2016). *Adaptive Disclosure: A New Treatment for Military Trauma, Loss, and Moral Injury*. Guilford Press.

2. Shay, J. (2014). *Moral Injury*. Lecture at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting. Available at: www.ptsd.va.gov

3. Nash, W. P., & Litz, B. T. (2013). *Moral Injury: A Mechanism for War-Related Psychological Trauma in Military Family Members*. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 16(3), 365-375.

4. Drescher, K. D., & Foy, D. W. (2008). *When They Come Home: Post Traumatic Stress, Moral Injury, and Spiritual Problems Among Veterans Returning from War*. Pastoral Psychology, 57(5-6), 405-414.

5. Meador, K. G., & Nieuwsma, J. A. (2018). *Moral Injury: Contextualized Care*. Journal of Medical Humanities, 39(1), 1-7

Robyn Walser

Members of the Romanian chapter have a special relationship with Robyn Walser. At the ACBS World Conference in Cyprus (2023), most members followed Robyn like ducklings, attending many of her workshops.

Dr. Robyn Walser is a psychologist at the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD, USA), Division of Dissemination and Training and a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley.

She is an expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and has written 7 books and many scholarly articles. Since 1998, when she completed her PhD under the supervision of Steven C. Hayes, Robyn has delivered ACT courses both nationally and internationally. Dr. Walser is involved in several research projects investigating moral injury, suicidal behavior, and the use of mindfulness in veteran populations.

If you’d like to see her do therapy, we recommend the following demonstration: