The Soul Repair Center at Brite Divinity School will host a two-day public conference on “Veteran Recovery from Moral Injury” Oct. 10-12 at Arborlawn United Methodist Church, 5001 Briarhaven Road. Events include lectures by the leading national expert on military sexual trauma, Dr. Kristin Leslie, and a psychiatric expert on Traumatic Brain Injury and integrated care for veterans, Brig. Gen. Stephen Xenakis (U.S. Army ret.).

In late 2009, the Veterans Administration distinguished moral injury from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a factor in the rising rates of veteran suicides. Moral injury is a consequence of having violated one’s core moral values or experiencing profound moral ambiguities and loss under extreme life-threatening conditions and feeling overwhelming guilt, grief, despair, and shame. This event will explain the two, how they differ, as well as what employers, clergy, community organizations, and the general public can do to support recovery.

Other plenaries will feature information on PTSD, moral injury, forgiveness, the needs of women vets, and a panel of veterans discussing their struggles in coming home. Workshops will focus on various ways communities can be more effective in supporting veteran return to civilian society.

For a complete schedule, list of panelists and speakers, and reservation information, go to


http://brite.edu/programs.asp?lefnav=sr&BriteProgram=soulrepair_event