What happens when everything you believe about yourself and your purpose suddenly collapses? When the institutions and systems you trusted betray your core values? Dr. Rebecca Nicholson, who works at the intersection of conflict healing and resilience, guides us through the challenging terrain of moral injury—a profound identity crisis that affects people from all walks of life.

The conversation opens a window into understanding conflict at its deepest levels. Dr. Nicholson explains how moral injury differs from ordinary struggles, comprising three critical elements: a legitimate authority you believed in, feelings of guilt and shame, and an existential crisis where you no longer understand your place in the world. This often manifests when people realize years of effort and sacrifice within a system were ultimately meaningless, leading to what she describes as "anhedonia"—the breakdown of the brain's reward system where nothing feels worthwhile anymore.

We explore the devastating consequences: broken relationships, substance abuse, and suicide risk. Yet through Dr. Nicholson's expertise, we also discover paths toward healing that conventional approaches often miss. Her work in unconventional healing addresses the whole person—emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually—offering hope where traditional methods have failed. Particularly fascinating is her identification of three characteristics that help people recover: flexibility in identity, motivation driven by service to others rather than personal gain, and the ability to redefine success beyond conventional measures.

Whether you're facing your own crisis of meaning, supporting someone through difficult transitions, or simply curious about the deeper dimensions of human resilience, this episode offers profound insights into how we survive and ultimately thrive when our foundations are shaken to the core.

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