San Diego Psychotherapy for Forgiveness  

Finding a Therapist for Help with Forgiveness in San Diego

What is forgiveness?

Are there benefits to forgiving someone?

What if I am unable to forgive?

When someone does you wrong, you might feel certain that you’ll never be able to get over it. You might continue to dwell on the incident instead of letting it become less intense, and eventually fading into memory. This is very common, but not being able to forgive can harm you the most.

Forgiveness means choosing to let go of your anger, hurt, and desire for vengeance. Forgiveness is also accepting that what happened is now in the past, recognizing that people make mistakes, and that it’s time to develop some compassion instead.

Forgiveness, in other words, enables you to begin moving away from anger and resentment before they seep into all areas of your life. Holding onto resentment and anger can affect you for some time and prevent you from finding peace and feeling better. When you can’t forgive, your emotional wounds aren’t able to close and heal. Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting or excusing the harm done to you or making up with the person who caused the harm. Forgiveness brings you a kind of peace that helps you move on with your life. If you are seeking some help in forgiving someone, the therapists at Clear Mind Counseling in San Diego can help. They are skilled in working with people interested in forgiveness and improving their life in the San Diego area.

The benefits of forgiving someone are many. Letting go of grudges and bitterness can make way for improved health and peace of mind. Forgiveness leads to:

• Healthier relationships

• Improved mental health

• Lower blood pressure

• Improved heart health

• Improved self-esteem

• A stronger immune system

• Less anxiety, stress, and hostility

By not being able to forgive, you might:

• Bring anger and bitterness into every relationship and new experience

• Become so consumed by the wrong that was done that you are unable to enjoy the present

• Become anxious and depressed

• Feel that your life lacks meaning

• Feel that you are at odds with your spiritual beliefs

• Lose valuable and meaningful connectedness with others

Forgiveness can be a challenge, especially if the person that hurt you doesn’t admit wrong. If you find yourself unable to move on or if the situation seems unresolvable, here are some tips to get your life moving forward:

• Practice empathy. Look at the situation from the other person’s point of view.

• Ask yourself why the person behaved in such a way. Would you have reacted the same way?

• Reflect on times when you’ve hurt others and those that have forgiven you.

• Be aware that forgiveness is a process and takes time.

• Seek professional help. Just talking to someone will get you to that inner peace that you deserve.

People struggle with forgiveness when they blame themselves for what happened. Self-compassion and self-forgiveness are both important tools to possess before trying to forgive someone else.

Is self-blame getting in the way of your ability to forgive? It’s important to remember that someone else’s decision to hurt you was not your fault. If you have trouble forgiving yourself, especially if you did nothing wrong, talking to a therapist can help. If you have trouble forgiving someone else, a therapist can also help. If you’ve made the commitment to forgive and are seeking counseling, help is available. Contact the experienced therapists at Clear Mind Counseling in San Diego today to schedule an appointment for help in dealing with forgiveness.