The Role and Function of Forgiveness in the Psychotherapeutic Process
Open Access
- 1 March 1989
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Psychology and Theology
- Vol. 17 (1) , 27-35
- https://doi.org/10.1177/009164718901700106
Abstract
Although forgiveness is viewed by many to be essential to the healing of emotional and relational pain, there typically has been very little treatment of it in the psychological literature. This article presents a brief discussion of the nature and function of forgiveness from a theological perspective, followed by an analysis of the process and dynamics of forgiveness from a psychological viewpoint. From an integrative synthesis of these concepts, specific application is made to understanding and facilitating forgiveness in the psychotherapeutic relationship.Keywords
This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit:
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- ForgivenessThe Psychotherapy Patient, 1985
- Forgiveness: A dynamic, theological and therapeutic analysisPastoral Psychology, 1982
- Moral Development and the Forgiveness of SinJournal of Psychology and Theology, 1981
- On the Failure to Forgive or to Be ForgivenAmerican Journal of Psychotherapy, 1965