Forgiveness is the process of letting go of feelings of anger, resentment, or bitterness towards someone who has caused harm. It involves a conscious decision to release negative emotions and thoughts, which can be challenging and may take time. Researchers have identified two different types of forgiveness — decisional forgiveness, which is a conscious choice to forgive someone, and emotional forgiveness, which goes a step further by working to replace negative emotions with positive feelings.
The All About Forgiveness handout explains what forgiveness is and gives tips on how to practice forgiveness. It also mentions what forgiveness is not and lists signs that someone has truly forgiven. At the bottom of the handout there are extra tips for those who find it difficult to forgive in the moment.
Learning to approach the world with forgiveness in mind helps kids and teens reap significant mental health benefits, such as achieving inner peace, experiencing less stress, and becoming happier. To embrace forgiveness for stress relief, we recommend checking out our Managing Stress With Forgiveness Handout.
This handout pairs nicely with our Forgiveness Worksheets for additional learning opportunities.
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References:
- Rapp, H., Wang Xu, J., & Enright, R. D. (2022). A meta‐analysis of forgiveness education interventions’ effects on forgiveness and anger in children and adolescents. Child Development, 93(5), 1249-1269. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13771
- Shourie, S., & Kaur, H. (2016). Gratitude and forgiveness as correlates of well-being among adolescents. Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing, 7(8), 827.
- Van Dyke, C. J., & Elias, M. J. (2007). How forgiveness, purpose, and religiosity are related to the mental health and well-being of youth: A review of the literature. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 10(4), 395-415. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674670600841793
