Abstract

Most clinicians would agree that betrayals and forgiveness are significant issues for many couples. However, despite the prevalence of the need for forgiveness, until recently most couples therapists have been reluctant to use therapeutic strategies that relate explicitly to forgiveness (DiBlasio & Proctor, 1993). Fortunately, in the last few years, forgiveness has been increasingly incorporated into couples treatment, and its use has begun to receive empirical support. In this chapter, we present our integrative, trauma-based model of forgiveness; then we review recent applications of forgiveness to couples therapy that have received initial empirical support. We conclude by outlining directions for future research and intervention.