Theological-Sensitive Therapy: The Eight Keys to Forgiveness Based on Jewish Scriptures

• In Event: New Perspectives on Crime and Justice

Abstract

Religions have a significant and profound impact on cultures. Therefore, we must consider this impact while using therapeutic methods in the field. Judaism is one of the oldest religions, which preserves a vast theoretical and practical knowledge that could be applied to mental health practice, offering insight and motivation that could lead to enhanced well-being for spiritually-oriented clients. This lecture will present Jewish forgiveness therapy based on the social scientific forgiveness therapy model in Enright's writings. Using the Jewish scriptures and subsequent Jewish commentaries for analysis, we emphasize the life-changing values related to forgiveness. In addition to this, unique innovations were found in the Jewish scriptures that may augment and enrich already-existing psychotherapeutic approaches to forgiveness.

Authors

• Yitzhak Ben Yair, Zefat Academic College

• Natti Ronel, Bar-Ilan University

• Robert Enright, Madison Wisconsin University