A psychologist’s paradigm-shifting exploration of moral injury—the wound we suffer when our core values are violated by what we’ve done, failed to do, witnessed, or been compelled to accept—and how to begin to repair it.An invisible malady is reshaping the emotional core of our institutions, communities, and inner lives. This ailment fractures our sense of self, erodes our trust in others, and leaves us questioning not only what has happened to us but also who we’ve become. It arises in high-stakes moments when we are compelled—or sometimes choose—to participate in, witness, or remain silent as our deepest principles are violated. And it’s reaching epidemic levels throughout our society.This condition is known as moral injury.More than stress or trauma, moral injury is a rupture of conscience, itself, signaled by shame, guilt, anger, alienation, and loss of trust. Often confused with PTSD, which is a reaction to mortal threat, moral injury arises in response to moral threat. First observed in soldiers, it is now appearing across professions—from medicine to tech, law to public safety—anywhere people face impossible choices that pit survival, duty, or success against their principles. Dr. Michael Valdovinos, a psychologist, veteran, and trauma expert, has spent over a decade exploring this acute form of ethical and emotional pain. In this urgent and necessary book, he investigates how moral injury manifests, why it matters now more than ever, and what it reveals about our social contract.Rather than offering prescriptive steps, Moral Injuries invites readers into stories of rupture, reckoning, and repair—tracing how individuals begin the work of healing. Through history, science, and lived experience, it also opens a new conversation about the role of conscience in protecting the health of society. Read more

Product Specifications

Publisher	Harper
Publication date	April 7, 2026
Language	English
Print length	272 pages
ISBN-10	0063419874
ISBN-13	978-0063419872
Item Weight	13.8 ounces
Dimensions	6 x 0.86 x 9 inches
Best Sellers Rank	#107,887 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #338 in Post-Traumatic Stress #516 in Popular Psychology Pathologies #11,980 in Self-Help (Books)

Moral Injuries: When Good Conscience Suffers in a World of Hurt