Who Is at Risk for Acquiring a Soul Injury®?
Soul Injuries® can affect anyone, including:
- Those who feel like they are not good enough, smart enough, handsome enough, strong enough…
- Victims of sexual assault, accidents, natural disasters, bullying, abuse, or neglect
- Those who have experienced heartache, loss of personal health, death of a loved one, or divorce
- Minorities and marginalized groups
- Veterans, first responders, and healthcare workers who deal with serious illness and death
- Chaos, loss, and long-term impact caused by the pandemic
Traumatic Soul Injuries® might occur suddenly, but they also commonly occur gradually, insidiously corroding a sense of self.
What is the Difference between Soul Injury®, Moral Injury, and PTSD?
While there are similarities among these three wounds of suffering, there are also clear distinctions requiring different interventions. Additionally, a person may suffer from all three injuries; for example, a traumatic event violates a person’s core beliefs causing them to disconnect from their own sense of self. Subsequent treatment would need to focus on PTSD treatments that calm the amygdala and limbic system, moral injury guidance related to conflict of values, and Soul Injury® tools to release barriers interfering with a sense of self.
| Soul Injury® | Moral Injury | PTSD |
| A wound to your BE-ing that separates you from your sense of self. | A violation of deepest-held beliefs and expectations causing moral confusion. | A mental health issue that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event such as combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. |
| Impacts personhood, causing one to fear who they are and who they are not. | Impacts beliefs and values, separating one from a sense of trust in others and/or themselves. | Impacts the brain (especially the amygdala and limbic system) separating one from a sense of safety in the world. |
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Caused by barriers that interfere with accessing a person’s real self. Barriers are: · Unmourned loss/hurt · Unforgiven guilt/shame · Fear of Helplessness and Loss of Control |
Caused by situations: · Without clear right/wrong choices · Coercion to act against one’s moral beliefs · Trusting people who fail to do the right thing. · Surviving in ways that violate personal conscience. |
Caused by events that result in identified symptoms that meet DSM-V diagnostic criteria from: · Exposure to actual or threatened violence, death, serious injury, or sexual assault via direct experience. · In-person witnessing, or learning about a loved one’s traumatic event |
What Are the Traits of a Soul Injury®?
You may have a Soul Injury®, and not even realize it. Feelings that may cause you to feel disconnected from your sense of self include:
- Fear of who you are and who you are not
- Fear of emotional pain with subsequent numbing behaviors
- A haunting sense of being defective, inadequate, or unworthy
- A sense of emptiness and meaninglessness that impacts your sense of BE-ing
Peace Begins in Me
You can restore personal peace and reconnect with who you really are.
Take the first step toward healing the relationship with yourself.
