Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Social Work
Advisor
Alice Yick
Abstract
Treatment-seeking survivors of complex trauma pursue normality and resiliency in their everyday lives. Forgiveness therapy is one treatment modality for such trauma. However, studies linking complex trauma and forgiveness therapy are minimal. The purpose of this generic qualitative inquiry was to improve treatment interventions of secular therapists’ use of forgiveness therapy, specifically, Worthington’s REACH forgiveness model with complex trauma clients. Two research questions guided this study: “What are secular therapists’ perspectives on the use of forgiveness therapy with complex trauma clients” and “What are secular therapists’ perspectives on the use of Worthington’s REACH forgiveness model with complex trauma clients.” For this study, preset questions in a semistructured interview allowed participants to share their perspectives. Purposive sampling recruited 15 secular therapists. Data were gathered through individual phone interviews then analyzed for common themes. This data were refined into three main themes and one subtheme: forgiveness is freedom in complex trauma recovery (subtheme: posttraumatic growth will include resistance), forgiveness therapy minimizes symptoms of complex trauma, and REACH forgiveness is beneficial in complex trauma recovery. According to the data, secular therapists strongly believe that forgiveness therapy is critical for trauma recovery. Furthermore, linking forgiveness therapy to complex trauma has catalytic potential for positive social change for practitioners, organizations, and an ever-increasing population of complex trauma survivors.
Recommended Citation
Hardman, Andrea, "Forgiveness Therapy and Complex Trauma: Secular Therapists’ Perspectives" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12704.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12704
