
“If you are struggling with issues of betrayal—or the challenge of whether and how to forgive—here is the most helpful and surprising book you will ever find on the subject.”—Harriet Lerner, Ph.D., author of The Dance of AngerEveryone is struggling to forgive someone: an unfaithful partner, an alcoholic parent, an ungrateful child, a terrorist. This award-winning book provides a radical way for hurt parties to heal themselves—without forgiving, as well as a way for offenders to earn genuine forgiveness.Until now, we’ve been taught that forgiveness is good for us and that good people forgive. Dr. Janis Abrahms Spring, a gifted clinical psychologist and award-winning author of After the Affair, proposes a radical, life-affirming alternative that lets us overcome the corrosive effects of hate and get on with our lives—without forgiving. She also offers a powerful and unconventional model for earning genuine forgiveness—one that asks as much of the offender as it does of the hurt party.Beautifully written and filled with insight, practical advice, and poignant case studies, this bold and healing book offers step-by-step, concrete instructions that help us make peace with others and ourselves, while answering such crucial questions as these: How do I forgive someone who is unremorseful or dead? When is forgiveness cheap? Can I heal myself – without forgiving? How can the offender earn forgiveness? What makes for a good apology? How do we forgive ourselves for hurting another human being?
This book investigates the complex psychological and interpersonal dynamics of forgiveness, challenging the conventional wisdom that forgiveness is always the necessary path to healing. Dr. Janis A. Spring, a clinical psychologist, utilizes her extensive professional experience to argue that forgiveness is not a moral obligation but a choice that must be earned. She provides a structured framework that distinguishes between cheap forgiveness and authentic reconciliation, offering a pathway for individuals to heal even when the offender remains unremorseful or is no longer present.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Experts and readers frequently cite this work as a foundational text for those navigating the aftermath of deep interpersonal betrayal. The prose is noted for its clinical clarity and practical utility, making complex psychological concepts accessible to a general audience.
Page Count:
272
Publication Date:
2005-02-01
Publisher:
Harper Paperbacks
ISBN-10:
0060009314
ISBN-13:
9780060009311
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