Forgiveness and Therapy: A Critical Review of Conceptualizations, Practices, and Values Found in the Literature

Abstract

This article is a critical review of how forgiveness is conceptualized in the family therapy, counseling, and clinical psychology literature. A systematic analysis of themes in a fairly comprehensive set of texts was carried out. Three main dimensions emerged along which therapist authors' viewpoints can be located: essentiality, intentionality, and benevolence. Therapy practices and values that correspond with positions along these dimensions are presented. The analysis reveals that greater exploration is needed regarding how forgiveness is related to diversity (e.g., gender, culture, religion, etc.), marginalization, and relations of power. Our objective is to provide a conceptual map for clinicians so that they might locate their own thinking about forgiveness and be better equipped to work sensitively with the forgiveness views and values of their clients.

Struggling With Adversities of Life

“…Psychotherapy also aims to promote active coping strategies like pain acceptance, physical activity, and structured relaxation [16,17]. Forgiveness might be a component of the larger part of the positive, health promoting thoughts, feelings, and behaviors encouraged by these types of therapies and could be considered an important target of therapy [18,19]. Indeed, the process of forgiveness is consistent with and can be readily incorporated into acceptance-based treatment modalities, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and…”

Der Vergebungsprozess als ein psychotherapeutischer Behandlungsansatz

“…Nach Legaree et al [2007] Vergebung kann auch als Gegenmaßnahme verstanden werden, um gegen den durch die Verletzung hervorgerufenen emotionalen Schmerz vorzugehen. Dies erlaubt es der verletzen Person, Kontrolle wiederzuerlangen, den Opferstatus zu verlassen und sich als selbstwirksam zu erleben [Enright et al, 1998].…”

“…Im zweiten Teil werden praktische Aspekte der Anwendung der Vergebungstherapie dargestellt. [Legaree et al, 2007].…”

Evaluación del Perdón en Relaciones de Pareja: Propiedades Psicométricas del Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory (TRIM-18) en un Contexto Chileno

“…La discusión acerca del potencial benéfico del perdón como estrategia para enfrentar invariablemente las transgresiones es un tema aún sujeto a debate por algunos autores (e.g., Legaree, Turner & Lollis, 2007), lo cual es especialmente atingente cuando se le confunde con otros conceptos relacionados, tales como el olvido: perdonar no implica eliminar de la conciencia el hecho ocurrido; la reconciliación: perdonar no implica necesariamente el restablecimiento de la relación; o la justificación de la ofensa: perdonar no implica aceptar las razones por las que el otro actuó de manera hiriente (para una revisión sobre los aspectos de consenso y disenso en la conceptualización del perdón, ver Guzmán, 2010a).…”