Healing Moral Injury 2017

The Moral Injury Project of Syracuse University and Le Moyne College hosted a two-day event:

“Healing Moral Injury,” April 7-8th at Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY

On April 7th, the evening opened with a reception in Grewen Hall at  5:00 p.m. and a screening of Almost Sunrise, a documentary film about moral injury, in Grewen Auditorium at 6:00 p.m.. After the film, a talk back session was held with the Director Michael Collins and Tom Voss, one of the veterans featured in the film.  The talk back will be followed by a “tracings” exercise led by Jen Reddy, Veterans Services Coordinator at Le Moyne College.

For more on the film, see http://sunrisedocumentary.com/

On April 8th, at 9:30 a.m. in the Science Center Addition, Room 100, a panel led by Pamela Johnson, PhD, LCSW,  addressed approaches to healing Moral Injury.  Panel event participants included:

  • Bryan Asher, LMSW, a veteran and social worker from the BVAC/BHOC in Syracuse, NY;
  • George L. Charpied, MS, SLP-CCC, a Speech Pathologist working out of the VHA Canandaigua;
  • Ryan Woodruff, Peer Support Specialist/Trainer and Kathleen Hannon, Program Director, both from the Dogs2Vets program at Clear Path for Veterans in Chittenango, NY;
  • Tracey Musarra Marchese, MSW, LCSW-R, a Professor of Practice at the Syracuse University School of Social Work, a psychotherapist in private practice, an EMDRIA-Approved Trainer/Consultant in EMDR, and the EMDRIA CNY Regional Coordinator.

Concurrent workshops on writing and healing, storytelling, community organizing and yoga were offered after lunch.

Event location: All events were be held on the Le Moyne College campus, which is located at 1419 Salt Springs Road, Syracuse, NY.  For directions and lodging options near Le Moyne, see http://www.lemoyne.edu/Visit/Getting-Here

A campus map is also available at:  http://www.lemoyne.edu/Visit/Campus-Map

This event was free of charge and open to the public; free parking was available in Lots A and AA at Le Moyne College.

Full link (copy and paste into browser): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRzyiuJqxsP_Y12Im17bwmpbYiIoPYPSJWnb3EtMvUpRxvXA/viewform?c=0&w=1

This event was co-sponsored by:

  • The Moral Injury Project
  • Le Moyne College
  • The Institute for Veterans and Military Family Members of Syracuse University
  • The Veterans Resource Center of University College of Syracuse University

Event schedule (subject to modification)

April 7th:
5:00-6:00 p.m. Opening reception, registration, Grewen Hall

6:00-6:15  p.m. Opening remarks in Grewen Auditorium
6:15-8:05 p.m. Screening of Almost Sunrise, Grewen Auditorium
8:05-9:00 p.m.   Talk-back and tracings exercise, Grewen Auditorium

April 8th:
9:00-9:30:    Coffee and tea, registration
9:30-9:45:   Opening Remarks
9:45-11:15:  Panel on Addressing Moral Injury:   Treatments and Healing (facilitated by Dr. Pamela Johnson, LCSW), Science Center Addition, Room 100
11:15-11:30:  Break
11:30-12:15:  Break-out groups
12:15-1:00:   Lunch
1:00-2:00:   Concurrent workshops:  Writing and Healing (Syracuse Veterans’ Writing Group); Storytelling (Matt Lewis), rooms to be announced
2:00-2:15 Break
2:15-3:15:  Concurrent Workshops:  Community Organizing (Alex McCoy); Yoga (Andrew Miller), rooms to be announced
3:15-3:30:  Break
3:30-4:00:  Closing