The Forgiveness Reconciliation Model: An Empirically Supported Process for Humanistic Counseling

The Forgiveness Reconciliation Model, a humanistic intervention that assists the client and counselor with navigating the forgiveness journey, was supported empirically using ordinary least squares path analysis with bootstrapping. How clients process issues of forgiveness and conflict is partially related to their perception of hoxv the perpetrator has changed. Keywords: forgiveness, counseling, conflict, reconciliation ********** Forgiveness is an emerging humanistic concept in counseling practice and research and has been reported by researchers to be correlated to psychological well-being, physical health, improved relationships, and personal growth (Orr, Sprague, Goertzen, Cornock, & Taylor, 2004; Scholl, 2008). Forgiveness is tied directly to humanism as relating to oneself and others in "growth-producing ways" (Bohart, cited in Scholl, 2008, p. 4). Over time, multiple forgiveness definitions, theoretical models, and assessments have surfaced in attempts to empirically support foundations to working with forgiveness issues with clients. Forgiveness was described as an unconditional gift given to oneself and others (Enright, Freedman, & Rique, 1998; Girard & Mullett, 1997); a form of letting go of the past (Sells & Hargrave, 1998); and a process of alleviating anger, hurt, and pain associated with a transgression (Affinito, 2002; Strelan & Covic, 2006). An offended person demonstrating more positive and less negative responses toward the offender is a shared element across definitions (McCullough, Pargament, & Thoresen, 2000). Enright and The Human Development Study Group (1991) outlined misnomers about forgiveness. For instance, forgiveness is not condoning, pardoning, excusing, forgetting, or reconciling. Although reconciliation is not to be confused with forgiving, reconciliation was deemed a necessary component of the forgiveness process (Hargrave, 1994). There are multiple forgiveness models within the literature; however, empirically supported models are limited (Strelan & Covic, 2006). Early forgiveness models were developed based on ideas extending from a components approach. Components of forgiveness were targeted to determine which elements most accurately predict one's likelihood to forgive. For example, Heider (1958) provided a theory regarding interpersonal forgiveness and focused on a motivational system that highlighted the constructs of avoidance and revenge predicting one's capacity to forgive by evaluating these two factors. More recent forgiveness models focused on the actual process of forgiving; these models are designed to serve as counseling interventions to aid clients in addressing forgiveness and unresolved conflict as they work to move toward a desired outcome. The forgiveness process models can be categorized into two groups: (a) interpersonal forgiveness process models and (b) intrapersonal forgiveness models (Strelan & Covic, 2006). Forgiveness models with empirical validation are limited (Balkin, Harris, Freeman, & Huntington, 2014; Strelan & Covic, 2006), with some models designed solely for usage with families and other models specifically designed with a theoretical framework, which limits utility (Hargrave & Sells, 1997; Pollard, Anderson, Anderson, & Jennings, 1998). Balkin, Freeman, and Lyman (2009) developed the Forgiveness Reconciliation Model (FRM), which provided a framework for individuals to process issues of interpersonal and intrapersonal forgiveness. Balkin et al. (2014) created the Forgiveness Reconciliation Inventory (FRI) to assist the client and counselor in evaluating the process outlined in the FRM. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the conceptual process depicted in the FRM. Specifically, we sought to identify whether the middle stages of the FRM (processing the role of reconciliation and remorse/change of the offender) mediated the relationship between the initial stage of the FRM (collaborative exploration) and the final stage of the FRM (outcome). …