Accessibility links
Studies Suggest Forgiveness Has Health Benefits Religious leaders have long hailed forgiveness as an act of virtue. Now, some researchers are claiming that, in addition to improving your spiritual health, forgiveness may have benefits for your physical health, too.

Your Health

Studies Suggest Forgiveness Has Health Benefits

Heard on Talk of the Nation

Listen to this 'Talk of the Nation' topic

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/17785209/17785200" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Religious leaders have long hailed forgiveness as an act of virtue. Now, some researchers are claiming that, in addition to improving your spiritual health, forgiveness may have benefits for your physical health, too.

Guest:

Melissa Healy, author of the article "You're not sorry? That's OK" published Monday in the Los Angeles Times

Frederic Luskin, director of Stanford University's Forgiveness Projects

Jeanne Safer, psychotherapist