To forgive is not easy. The brain is wired to repeat offending moments over and over again, and our bodies — they’re programmed to react. Still, Fred Luskin, a psychologist and director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project says the effort to overcome anger is worth it.
He says the act of forgiving can also better your health; for example, by reducing the likelihood of heart disease. Luskin spent the earlier part of his career researching the science of forgiveness. Now, he’s more interested in teaching people how to forgive. KALW’s Judy Silber spoke to him in our studios. She started off by asking Luksin how his interest in forgiveness began.
LUSKIN: Forgiveness allows us to unclench our bodies and our minds, and we can make a more benign world for ourselves.