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Review
. 2024 Mar 1;21(1-3):36-42.
eCollection 2024 Jan-Mar.

Psychotherapy's Role in Evaluating the Invisible Wounds of Moral Injury

Ben Onnink  1 , Matthew C Correll  2 , Andrew Correll  3 , Terry Correll  4
Affiliations
Review

Psychotherapy's Role in Evaluating the Invisible Wounds of Moral Injury

Ben Onnink et al. Innov Clin Neurosci. .

Abstract

Moral injury is a relatively new concept with varying definitions that attempts to define a profound and lasting insult to one's conscience caused by perpetration of or directly witnessing harm to another person in a high-pressure situation. This entity is separate from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it can coexist with PTSD. This article provides psychotherapeutic examples of the diagnosis of moral injury from a psychodynamic perspective, focusing on morally challenging situations related to warfare and the healthcare system.

Keywords: Moral injury; healthcare workers; military trauma; psychotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

DISCLOSURES: The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Kohlberg’s stages of development (titles adapted from Crain, 1985)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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