Dr Everett Worthington is a leading psychologist. He is based in the USA in Virginia, and recognises the link between forgiveness and mental health. He is a committed Christian and gives lectures around the world on the Biblical principles of forgiveness, and how holding on to unforgiveness can lead to a bitter life. He draws this knowledge from his own experiences, as his mother was murdered 22 years ago.

“On New Year’s Day in 1996, I woke up to the aftermath of my mother’s murder. For years I had dedicated my professional life to researching forgiveness. As a clinician I had counselled many couples to forgive, and had written several books about the psychological and spiritual dimensions of forgiving. Yet my faith and my identity were tested severely. Thinking no one was home on New Year’s Eve, two teenagers broke into my mother’s home seeking treasure. My mother did not drive (hence no car in the driveway) and had gone to bed early (hence no lights). She awoke and confronted one of the youth, and he bashed her repeatedly with a crowbar.”

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