When someone hurts you, a friend or former friend, a family member, a colleague, a romantic partner,

it can feel justifiable or even satisfying to nurse a grudge.

After all, what do you have to gain from forgiving someone who's bullied you, betrayed you, or let you down?

But psychologists who study forgiveness say that

forgiving, when done right, can be therapeutic for the person who's been hurt. Research has found

that it can lead to better mental, emotional, and even physical health. So when you want to

forgive someone, where do you start?

What steps do you take?

How do you deal with the anger or grief that may be standing in the way of forgiveness?

And can you forgive without forgetting?

What is the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation?

When someone has done something truly wrong, can you forgive them and seek justice at the same time?

Can you forgive someone who hasn't hurt you directly? And is it possible to forgive someone who isn't sorry for what they've done?

Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association

that examines the links between psychological science and everyday life. I'm Kim Mills.

My guest today is Dr. Robert Enright, a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He is a pioneer in the scientific study of forgiveness which he has been researching for nearly four decades.

Dr. Enright has developed forgiveness-based interventions for children and adults who have suffered from bullying, abuse, and other injustices.

He's also brought forgiveness education programs to conflict areas such as Northern Ireland.

He is interested in how forgiveness interventions and therapy can help people improve their

mental health and well-being. Dr. Enright is the author of more than 120 scientific articles and seven books, and has been awarded many honors,

including a 2022 gold medal award for Impact in Psychology from the American Psychological Foundation.

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