Full Description
Winner of the American Psychological Foundation Gold Medal for Impact in Psychology
The Forgiving Life offers scientifically supported guidance to help people forgive those in their lives who have acted unfairly and have inflicted emotional hurt.
It does not minimize the devastation of that hurt. It does not require reconciliation with the one who inflicted the hurt. Rather, it describes a process, followed with success by people around the world, to confront the pain, rise above it to forgive, and in so doing, to loosen the grip of depression, anger, and resentment that has soured life.
In this book, noted forgiveness expert Robert D. Enright invites readers to learn the benefits of forgiveness and to embark on a path of forgiveness, leaving behind a legacy of love. Guided by thought-provoking questions, journaling exercises, and Enright amp rsquo s kind encouragement, readers can chart their own journey through a new life of forgiveness.
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
I. The Basics
A Theory of Forgiveness in Brief
If You Are Traumatized
II. Overview of the Forgiveness Process
How Telling and Listening to Stories Can Help
Forgiveness Is a Process
The Work Phase of Forgiveness
The Discovery Phase of Forgiveness
What Does It Mean to Forgive?
III. Getting Organized
The Forgiveness Plan
Measuring Your Forgiveness
IV. Forgiving Those Who Have Hurt You
Your Forgiveness Pathway
How Did You Do in Forgiving?
Forgiving Your Parents
Forgiveness Between Partners and Within Your Current Family
Completing the Triangle of Forgiveness
School Days, Work Days, and Other Days
Surveying the Landscape From the Mountain Peak
V. Giving the Gift of Forgiveness to Others
Questions as You Give Forgiveness to Others
Giving Forgiveness Away to Our Children and in Our Communities
Your Forgiveness Legacy
Appendix A: Process of How People Forgive Someone Who Was Unjust
Appendix B: Forgiveness Landscape Rating Scale
Appendix C: Personal Forgiveness Scale
Appendix D: The Forgiveness Guidepost Form
Notes
Index
About the Author
