This paper explores forgiveness, which is a key component of spiritual past
oral care. Encouraging forgiveness is also one of the spiritual interventio
ns most frequently used by psychotherapists. However, although forgiveness
has been explored as an element in psychotherapy, the models generated have
had little impact on research and practice. Recent research into forgivene
ss in therapy is considered, including several models put forward for its u
se. Some of the implications of the use of forgiveness in therapeutic pract
ice are examined and guidelines for the use of forgiveness in psychotherapy
are put forward based on the work of the Forgiveness Project at the Univer
sity of Manchester.