“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” Nelson Mandela
— Unknown
About this Activity
You’ll use a workbook intervention to promote forgiveness that has been shown to be effective in a small randomized trial. Each week, you’ll check back in to reflect upon your experiences and write about your experiences and expectations.
Forgiving others for wrongs they have done to you is, generally, associated with better mental health, greater hope, and possibly better physical health. Unfortunately, and too often we find that forgiving someone for a substantial wrong is difficult and takes considerable time. Activities have been developed to promote forgiveness and have been found to be effective in randomized trials. Such interventions have been shown to be effective not only in increasing forgiveness but also in reducing depression and anxiety.
The Practice
Getting Started
The first thing that we recommend is to select the day (or days) of the week on which you want to do this activity. It's best to write down the days or add them to your calendar. A core aspect of these activities is writting down your thoughts. If you are doing the activity in the app, we provide forms to write and save your thoughts. If you are doing the exercise on your own, it is best to have a notebook or word document dedicated to this activity.
Instructions
This activity is focused on learning, practicing, and developing your ability to forgive. Over the course of the next six weeks, you'll commit to working through a workbook that has proven effective in doing so. The first step is to download the free "Paths to Forgiveness" workbook from https://www.evworthington-forgiveness.com/diy-workbooks This activity does not have a specific first exercise that you must do at this time. Instead, you can complete an (optional) reflection entry.
First Entry
This activity has no specific baseline entry/instruction.
Weekly Practice
You've committed to working through the "Paths to Forgiveness" workbook during this activity in order to help grow in your capacity to forgive. As part of your commitment you opted to return to this app today and reflect upon your experiences. Take a few moments to clear your mind. When you are ready,think back over the past week. Have you found yourself seeing any opportunities for forgiveness? Has a section of the workbook spoken to you in particular?
The Science
This exercise is grounded in research on psychological well-being. Regular practice has been shown to increase positive emotion, enhance resilience, and deepen your sense of connection.
Key References
- Harper, Q., Worthington, E. L., Griffin, B. J., Lavelock, C. R., Hook, J. N., Vrana, S. R., & Greer, C. L. (2014). Efficacy of a workbook to promote forgiveness: a randomized controlled trial with university students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70,1158–1169.
- Wade, N. G., Hoyt, W. T., Kidwell, J. E., & Worthington E. L. (2014). Efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions to promote forgiveness: a meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82,154-170.