Forbes highlighted the expertise of Robert Enright, professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, in a recent feature on forgiveness.
Enright is considered to be one of the founders of the scientific study of forgiveness and was recently lauded as a “game changer” in modern psychology by the American Psychological Association.
In the Forbes article, Enright explained the definition of forgiveness as a moral virtue and said forgiveness should not be confused with reconciliation.
“You can forgive while keeping your distance,” he said. “As a moral virtue, forgiveness lives side-by-side with seeking fairness.”
Enright also outlined some of the psychological benefits of forgiving yourself and others, including decreased rates of depression and increased feelings of hope and empowerment.
“Unforgiveness zaps someone’s energy, enthusiasm and sense of hope,” Enright said.
Enright also offered insight into the process of forgiveness. Over the past four decades, Enright’s work has produced widely-used models for forgiveness therapy and school curriculum guides that have been used in at least 30 countries. He noted that recognizing the humanity of the person who has wronged you is an essential step in forgiving.
Read the Forbes story here.