This interactive presentation is designed to educate about moral injury, its relationship to substance abuse, and how Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based techniques can be utilized to help clients move beyond treatment barriers associated with morally injurious experiences, such as guilt, shame, and anger. Studies have shown ACT to be an effective modality for treating moral injury and SUDs. While the term "moral injury" was coined thirty years ago by Psychiatrist Jonathan Shay (2014), its concept has existed for ages. Originally studied within military populations, moral injury research is increasingly expanding to civilian groups and shows a strong relationship with substance abuse. The broad goal of the presentation is to provide attendees with a basic understanding of moral injury in the context of substance use and of ACT’s six core processes.

Objectives include:

• Identifying three causes and signs of moral injury and the demographics of those at higher risk of morally injurious experiences.
• Three ways that moral injury and substance abuse can be related (i.e., how one may play a role in the development of the other).
• Practice with a minimum of three effective Acceptance Commitment Therapy-based strategies counselors/therapists can utilize when treating moral injury and substance abuse together.

Training Categories Intermediate, Co-Occurring/SUD, Ethics, Research to Practice|Clinical