Self-Forgiveness Essay

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Self-Forgiveness: The Stepchild of Forgiveness Research Marilyn West Liberty University The article, “Self-Forgiveness: The Stepchild of Forgiveness Research”, focuses on comparing and contrasting interpersonal and intrapersonal forgiveness. The requirements that determine the components of self-forgiveness were researched along with the phase’s individuals tend to encounter. In this article, self-forgiveness is researched by analyzing the difference between interpersonal and intrapersonal forgiveness. Interpersonal forgiveness, involving several people and intrapersonal self- forgiveness, which occurs within the individuals self or mind, were compared and their relation to self-forgiveness was determined. Interpersonal forgiveness involves persons who are stuck in self-doubt and self-condemnation. Those people hold on to old “stuff”, such as pain, resentment and grudges. The authors of the article maintain that prayer and spirituality is being used repeatedly by counselors and mental health professionals when dealing with the subject of self-forgiveness. Their assumptions are based on tests that observe first time counseling clients and therapist. The researchers perform a mental investigation of self-forgiveness, determining and showing distinctive characteristics from interpersonal forgiveness and would- be self-forgiveness. Research is supportive of the theory or notion that forgiveness between a wrongdoer or offender and a victim, (interpersonal) forgiveness, is done more frequently than intrapersonal self-forgiveness. This study is important to show how self-forgiveness can have an effect on an individual’s mental health. A model showing the process necessary to forgive oneself was provided within the article. Some of the determining factors were reviewed and it was revealed that much more research is needed to effectively assist the
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