Families and Forgiveness: A Theoretical and Therapeutic Framework

Although forgiveness is a concept with which families from various cultures have been familiar for ages, there has been little in the way of therapeutic literature that seeks to define and delineate methodology to help families in the process of forgiving. This article examines a theoreticalframework in which therapeutic forgiveness is conceptualized as afour-station process of insight, understanding, giving the opportunity for compensation, and overt forgiving. A definition of forgiveness, theoretical reasoning for forgiveness, and how the framework is applied in family therapy are discussed.