Forgiveness
Letting Go, Moving Forward
Understanding Forgiveness
- Forgiveness is not forgetting and it is not excusing harm.
- Forgiveness is the choice to stop carrying pain that belongs in the past.
- It does not mean reconciliation unless safety and trust have been rebuilt.
- It is a gift you give yourself — the freedom to stop suffering twice.
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free
and discover that the prisoner was you.”
What Forgiveness Is — and Is Not
Forgiveness is …
- A personal decision
- A release of emotional pain
- A path toward peace
- Something you do for you
Forgiveness is not…
- Forgetting
- Denying the harm
- A requirement to reconcile
- Saying what happened was okay
The Cost of Holding On
- Pain held too long becomes part of your identity.
- Resentment drains emotional energy, clouds thinking, and harms relationships.
- Letting go returns your power and restores your emotional balance.
Myths About Forgiveness
- “If I forgive, they’ll think it’s okay.”
- “Forgiveness means weakness.”
- “Time alone heals everything.”
- “I can’t forgive unless they apologize.”
All untrue. Forgiveness is where your healing begins — not theirs.
“When we forgive, we set ourselves free.”
The Path to Inner Freedom
Forgiveness is choosing peace over bitterness, clarity over pain, freedom over the past.
KEY— Therapy helps you acknowledge the hurt fully, honor what was lost, and release what no longer serves your life.