Forgiveness Therapy: A Clinical Intervention for Chronic Disease

Chronic illness and disease have become part of our everyday lives. The significance of this is seen in the tremendous strain put on the healthcare system in the United States of America. Furthermore, the strain extends to the physical, mental, and financial issues created by chronic illness and disease upon people in this country. The results appear to be crushing the system and the people living in it more than at any other time in our history. It continues to be a challenge how to manage chronic illness and disease. The logical answer to this dilemma is prevention before anything happens. Education in this country needs to reflect this. Through education, we can promote wellness at an early age instead of treatment and management of chronic illness and disease later in life.

Elliott (2011) discussed in the article Forgiveness Therapy: A Clinical Intervention for Chronic Disease how the connection between trauma and adversity experienced early in life and the resulting health complications from biological and physiological burdens on the body later in life. Elliott (2011) states “Newer insights are positing that these conditions have their origins in early life experience, rather than in adult habits and behaviors” (p. 240). Moreover, Elliott (2011) describes how trauma can affect the brain and human physiology in vitro. These burdens then become toxic as we age. Stress is a normal part of human existence. Without it, we would die. However, problems arise when stress becomes chronic. This is known as the chronic stress hypothesis (Elliott, 2011). Studies have suggested that trauma and constant adversity in childhood cause physiological changes in the brain and the fight-or- flight response. Furthermore, chronic stress damages the hormonal balance or homeostasis in the body (Simmons et al., 2020). This imbalance leads to a compromised immune system in adulthood resulting in a myriad of illnesses and diseases from heart disease, diabetes, major depression, etc. (Elliott, 2011). Continued research is being done to try to discover alternative therapies including holistic treatments.

Forgiveness therapy has been discussed for many years as a treatment in a medical setting and is being done by pastoral counselors and mental health practitioners. The goal is to assist those suffering from trauma and adversity by releasing the anger trapped within them. Elliott (2011) states that there are two types of forgiveness: decisional forgiveness and emotional forgiveness. “Decisional forgiveness is the experience of granting forgiveness without eliminating the emotion” (Elliott, 2011, p. 242). And “Emotional forgiveness is forgiveness that includes changes in emotion and motivation toward the offender” (Elliott, 2011, p. 242). The result of self-acceptance and knowledge changes the thought patterns and the patient’s perception from being a victim to a victor. It releases the control of the oppressor and allows the patient to take control of their own life and determine their destiny, perhaps for the first time. Once positive thinking can overcome negative experiences, studies reveal how the psychological, physical, and spiritual changes that impact chronic stress begin to manifest (Elliott, 2011). It should be noted that forgiveness is not the same as having a relationship with the perpetrator. Forgiveness is for the individual suffering from the trauma and provides the sufferer with overall healing.

We all want to find meaning for "why" things happen in life; it’s human nature. This is where God comes into the picture. He gives us free will and you have a choice on how to proceed with your life. Hawkins and Clinton (2015) state the counselor and the client are partners in therapy and “Together, they find opportunities to develop a plan of action that will help the client reach the goals he is committed to achieving at this stage in his journey” (p. 59).

This article is a great reminder to us about the power of forgiveness, not only in the spiritual realm but in the secular realm. There was never a doubt in my mind that your mental well-being affects your physical well-being. It is encouraging that studies have been ongoing for the past thirty years on the correlation between forgiveness and health and what happens to the body (Quenstedt-Moe & Popkess, 2012). Hormonal imbalance appears to create chaos throughout the body in how we think and act in situations. Quenstedt-Moe and Popkess (2014) concur with Elliott’s (2011) findings of how constant anger and flashbacks from traumatic events release toxins from key hormones in the body. 

Cognitively, the fight or flight response is triggered in our sympathetic nervous system keeping the body in constant chaos and does not allow the parasympathetic nervous system to press the brake or calm the body back down once the emergency has subsided (Simmons et al, 2020). Therefore, a breakdown in the immune system occurs over time and allows chronic illness and disease to invade the body. These illnesses are both mental and physical in nature. Lutjen et al. (2011) studied the correlation between religious beliefs and positive health effects. Although the authors were studying religion and found that religion led to greater ease of forgiveness, they acknowledged the power of forgiveness on increased health and well-being. Moreover, Lutjen et al. (2011) stated that forgiveness of self has positive benefits on one’s health. This study also provides support to the research gathered by Elliott (2011). All three study authors agree that lack of forgiveness correlates to poor health. 

Editorial Note

There must be another alternative to our medical healthcare system and the pharmaceutical industry. I believe that the United States of America needs to embrace a more integrated holistic approach to healthcare. As a psychotherapist and life coach, I use a holistic approach to counseling to include mind, body, and spirit. We must stop the separation of the secular and spiritual worlds in our culture. Separation has been the downfall in this country and if we do not turn it around it will surely be our destruction.

I am not sure why, other than greed, we think that the only way to help people is through the Western medical system. Our approach needs to evolve with the needs of the people. There is a place for mental health, the secular medical system, and spirituality to work together for the greater good. I believe the question is whether the government is going to allow such an intervention. If not, we must take control of our own health, spirituality, and mental well-being and do what is in our best interests. We can only help ourselves through the love of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior. Matthew reminds us “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Matthew 6:14-15). God will not provide healing for us if we do not forgive those who hurt us. That sounds so simple, and it is, but many of us ignore it in lieu of the medical system and the pharmaceutical industry. The insanity must stop, and we have to wake up!

At the appropriate time, I will discuss forgiveness with my client. Forgiveness is a more powerful remedy than any medicine that our healthcare system has to offer. The healthcare system is based on treating the symptoms and not the root of the problem. How are we ever going to get well this way? The answer is, we are not. To explain to my client how forgiveness and health are interconnected, I will gently suggest that by forgiving those who have hurt you in the past, allowing the burdens to fall away, healing can soon begin. “To date, evidence has documented the impact of forgiveness and unforgiveness on a body and health in several ways: hormone patterns, peripheral physiologic measures and brain function as revealed in images and scans” (Elliott, 2011, p. 243). The choice is in your hands. 

References

Elliott, B.A. (2011). Forgiveness therapy: A clinical intervention for chronic disease. Journal of Religion and Health 50(2), 240-247. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41349784

Hawkins, R. & Clinton, T. (2015). The new Christian counselor: A fresh biblical & transformational approach. Harvest House Publishers. 

Lutjen, L. J., Silton, N. R., & Flannelly, K. J. (2012). Religion, forgiveness, hostility, and health: A structural equation analysis. Journal of Religion and Health, 51(2), 468–478. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41653783

King James Bible. (2017). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1769).

Quenstedt-Moe, G., & Popkess, S. (2014). Forgiveness and health in Christian women. Journal of Religion and Health, 53(1), 204–216. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24485071

Simmons, R., Lilley, S. Kuhnley, A. (2020). Introduction to counseling: Integration of faith, professional identity, and clinical practice. Kendall Hunt.