Let’s Get “REAL”: A Collaborative Group Therapy for Moral Injury

Abstract

Moral injury is a particular response to profoundly distressing life events that manifests in damage to basic human/relational capacities, such as trust, autonomy, initiative, competence, identity, and intimacy. This paper describes and presents preliminary outcomes of “Reclaiming Experiences And Loss,” or “REAL,” which is an innovative moral injury group therapy that was developed collaboratively by Veterans Affairs mental health and spiritual care providers. Clinical outcome measures collected pre- and post-group indicates that REAL is effective at reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Additionally, a cohort case example demonstrates the impact of REAL as told through individual stories as well as the intersectionality and interactions that comprise a typical REAL cohort and are considered central to care. Implications for ongoing care and future research are discussed.