Forgiveness therapy
Forgiveness therapy – willful putting aside of feelings of resentment toward an individual who has committed a wrong, been unfair or hurtful, or otherwise harmed one in some way. Forgiveness is not equated with reconciliation or excusing another, and it is not merely accepting what happened or ceasing to be angry. Rather, it involves a voluntary transformation of one’s feelings, attitudes, and behavior toward the individual, so that one is no longer dominated by resentment and can express compassion, generosity, or the like toward the individual. Forgiveness is sometimes considered an important process in psychotherapy or counseling.
The most common understanding of forgiveness involves some aspect of release or letting go over time. The release may focus on anger (Davenport, 1991; Fitzgibbons, 1986), revenge (Cloke, 1993), shame (Halling, 1994), record of wrongs (DiBlasio, 1992), and resentment (Enright and the Human Development Study Group, 1996; North, 1987). The component of time or forgiveness as an unfolding process taking months and possibly years to achieve is a fundamental component emphasized by most (Cunningham, 1985; Enright and the Human Development Study Group, 1996; Fitzgibbons, 1996; Hope, 1987; Hunter, 1978; Hargrave, 1994; Kaufman, 1984; Kirkup, 1993).
According to Enright and North, forgiving others encompasses two parts. First, there is a willingness to abandon one’s right to resentment, negative judgment, and negative behavior toward one who acted unjustly. Second, forgiving involves the voluntary fostering of the undeserved qualities of compassion, generosity, and sometimes even love toward the one who is offended.
American Psychological Association’s Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 4). Retrieved from https://shorturl.at/bSzMT
Freedman, S., & Enright, R. D. (2017, May 25). The use of forgiveness therapy with female survivors of abuse. Journal of Women's Health Care, 6(3). Retrieved from https://shorturl.at/zTEQv
Sells, J. N., & Hargrave, T. D. (1998, February). Forgiveness: A review of the theoretical and empirical literature. Journal of Family Therapy, 20(1), 21-36. Retrieved from https://shorturl.at/GHyiq