Professor Takes Forgiveness Therapy to Mayo

Teresa Neumann : Oct 7, 2009
Ryan Blitstein - Miller-McCune News

"Unforgiving people are at up to 10 times the risk for mental illness as the forgiving, and twice the odds of cardiovascular disease as the average population."

(Decorah, Iowa)—Loren Toussaint is a Luther College psychology professor whose life work is studying the impact forgiveness has on health. Toussaint—whose goals admittedly rise from a spiritual foundation—and a team of other researchers are translating the conclusions of scientific studies to help Americans become healthier through forgiveness. (Photo: Miller-McCune News)

As noted in Miller-McCune, a growing body of research demonstrates that long-term stress causes difficulties ranging from major depression to cardiovascular disease and unforgiving people are at up to 10 times the risk for mental illness as the forgiving and twice the odds of cardiovascular disease as the average population.

According to the report, psychologists have also long known that men tend to be self-focused, and women are more other-focused. The same is reportedly true of forgiveness: Toussaint found that self-forgiveness is more protective of mental health among men, while forgiving others' actions is more protective for women.

A landmark study in war-torn Sierra Leone was conducted by Toussaint in 2007, the results showing that—despite major traumas suffered by the participants of the study—those who worked through forgiveness were significantly healthier than those who didn't.

"If we can do this in Sierra Leone," says Toussaint, "We can do it anywhere."

Building on those studies, Toussaint and his team are bringing a forgiveness "curriculum" to the Mayo Clinic whereby he will conduct an intervention with patients who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Notes reporter Ryan Blitstein: "Toussaint knows that learning to forgive isn't easy...But [he] is consoled by the fact that people of all races, ages and ethnic groups have learned to forgive and improved their lives with relatively modest efforts. 'Unlike in many other areas, you have a lot of control,' he says. 'It's really up to you.'"

Read more about Toussaint's studies and conclusions by following the link provided.