Book Review: Forgiveness and the Healing Process: A Central Therapeutic Concern

This nine chapter book on 'therapeutic forgiveness' is beautifully researched to answer a mind-bugging question– could there be a missing link in psychological treatment or counselling in meeting client's needs in some settings? The text is designed to help professionals, clients and colleagues cope with trauma and injustice through forgiveness, either as victims or victimizers, and to move on with life. People who are not able to experience forgiveness are likely to experience a range of emotions, including anger, resentment, hatred and revenge, of feeling used, degraded or demeaned. The book was written in response to a client's request to have 'forgiveness' listed as a goal in therapy– she wanted to forgive her parents for her childhood abuse.

In conceptualising the theme of forgiveness, the authors explore pioneers such as Jean Piaget and Sigmund Freud, which adds to the scientific credibility of the book. The text indicates that research evidence, largely in the U.S.A., has linked forgiveness to good mental health and possibly good physical health of clients. Some people have been hurt from rape, fraud, insult, childhood neglect, sexual or physical abuse, injustice at work and other forms of injuries. These persons may need therapeutic support to connect with their religious beliefs or personal philosophy in order to be able to 'let go of the hurt' and forgive themselves and others. Forgiveness is a prelude to 'real' reconciliation and a core component in trauma psychotherapy.

The text discusses several specific clinical models and generic principles to guide the forgiveness process. The models portray forgiveness as a process requiring change in motivational state, affect, cognition and possibly in behaviour. It is useful to understand the personality (e.g. anxious or narcissistic) of a child or an adult and his/her perception of 'what is right and what is wrong or how it feels to be wronged'. The book explores interactive work with couples, suggesting that forgiveness in relationships requires both parties in actively seeking and welcoming forgiveness and exploring the depths of hurt experienced. Professionals helping others to process forgiveness may explore the reconstruction of meaning behind shattered assumptions about existential truths, negotiating new life choices and developing a sense of new personal identity.

The authors explore the 'process model' of forgiveness in mediation work as a key to healing fractured interpersonal relationships in organisations, among colleagues and between therapists and clients. It is a fact that 'unforgiven hurt feelings' and a cycle of emotional conflict can slow job performance, lead to job termination or compensatory litigation. The psychological consequences of hatred or resentment is self-destructive for both the victim and the victimiser to the extent of affecting workforce development, family and community life. The text further explores restorative forgiveness in the criminal justice system and a framework for dealing with 'aftermath of political trauma'.

The authors are able to bring together their diverse personal, research, theoretical and clinical experiences to develop this text. They demonstrated professional competence by clearly appreciating their roles as clinicians and ensuring that they did not stray into territory more expertly covered by philosophers or theologians. Perhaps one weakness of the text, which indeed may be a strength for some readers, is a certain 'over emotionalisation' of some of the self-narratives of unpleasant encounter with 'forgiveness'. That said the book is a wake up call to psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, counsellors, victim support workers/mediators, social workers, other mental health workers and service managers. There could be no better awakening than to read a copy of this interesting book.

Benaliligha F. Selemo