Dislocation, in Bruce’s formulation, describes a loss of connection to self, to others, and to a sense of meaning and purpose—all of which appear on the roster of essential needs above. Lest the word “dislocation” conjure something hazy like “being lost,” he is quick with a graphic metaphor. “Think of a dislocated shoulder,” he said, “a shoulder disarticulated, out of joint. You didn’t cut off the arm, but it’s just hanging there and not working anymore. Useless. That’s how dislocated people experience themselves. It’s excruciatingly painful.”
