Moral injury: webinar replay

Selected transcript excerpts

These short excerpts are lightly edited from the recording's captions. Watch the full replay for context.

Dr. Lynnette Averill's remarks, read by Neil Markey

07:30

With moral injury, the question isn't only "am I safe?" It's "who am I now, after what I've done, or what I've seen, or what's been done to me?"

Ryan Roberts on what values hold up

14:45

Values give rise to meaning. Meaning shapes purpose. Purpose informs identity. And identity enables authentic connection.

Abi Dorhosti on where the work happens

39:50

Psychedelics can play a powerful role in this process. They are not the pathway; they're a pathway. The work is in integration. The work is in embodiment. The work is in relationship.

Crystal Romero on belonging

45:00

For the first time, I didn't feel like I had to defend myself or prove anything or explain why I felt the way that I did. I just felt genuinely accepted.

Questions this replay answers

What is moral injury?

It is the distress that can arise when someone does, witnesses or fails to prevent something that violates their deeply held values, or is betrayed by individuals or institutions they trusted. The panel describes it as psychological, but also existential, relational and sometimes spiritual.

How is moral injury different from PTSD?

They can look alike and often occur together. PTSD is primarily fear-based, the nervous system learning that the world is dangerous. Moral injury is described here as a wound of meaning, identity and belonging, and the person may not be holding a distorted belief at all, which is why it often doesn't respond in the same way to standard treatments.

Why does community matter so much?

Ryan's view is that meaning is created with other people, so it has to be rebuilt with other people too. Crystal describes how a feeling of belonging, after years without it, was when things began to shift for her.

Can psychedelic experiences help with moral injury?

The panel sees them as one possible part of recovery rather than an answer on their own. Abi describes research suggesting they can loosen shame and open space for self-compassion, and stresses that the lasting work happens in integration and in relationships. Research in this area is still at an early stage, and Beckley Retreats programs are wellbeing programs, not clinical treatment.

Is there support for therapists working with moral injury?

Yes. Visit the Therapist Resource Hub.

Questions to reflect on

• Which of your values matter most to you, and where have they been tested?
• Who in your life can hear the hardest parts of your story?
• What would belonging look like for you now?

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Psilocybin retreats for therapists: Q&A · Psychedelics and mortality anxiety · All webinars and replays