Letting Go and Healing: The Power of Forgiveness | CBT Therapist Aid
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The content segments discuss the concept of forgiveness and its benefits. Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes emphasizes that forgiveness does not mean agreeing with or condoning the situation but rather choosing to stop giving that person or thing your energy. The benefits of forgiveness include improved health, improved mental health, improved relationships, and improved productivity.
Dr. Snipes provides strategies for forgiving others. She suggests recalling the betrayal and remembering it from multiple perspectives. She introduces the concept of the 4 P's: fear exploration, safety, visualizing forgiveness as a gift to oneself and significant others, and examining the situation and looking for the positive. It is important to adjust expectations of oneself and others, accepting that people are not perfect and may not change. Dr. Snipes also mentions the idea of living in the end, where one can forgive someone and still keep them in their life but alter the way they are involved.
To start practicing forgiveness, Dr. Snipes recommends forgiving smaller things first, as it is easier than forgiving larger issues. She encourages empathizing with the other person without minimizing their actions, accepting that they did the best they could with the tools they had at that time. If safe and necessary, one can share their feelings with the person who offended them. Alternatively, they can share their feelings with their higher power or use an empty chair visualization technique commonly used in counseling to express what they need to say.
Dr. Snipes also suggests sharing your feelings about the situation with someone else, such as a best friend or a parent, to release resentment and anger. Engaging in thought stopping behaviors can help interrupt negative thought patterns. By forgiving others, one can lighten their emotional load and free up energy for a more fulfilling life.
The content segments discuss the concept of forgiveness and its benefits. Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes emph