Luther students receive "forgiveness training"

14 Luther College students, led by Dr. Loren Toussaint, have been spending part of their January term with a team of "forgiveness educators" at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

The students have been receiving forgiveness training for college students.  Three people have co-taught the training: Ann Recine, a nurse practitioner, doctoral student, and nursing clinical instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire who is an author of four journal articles on spirituality and forgiveness; Tina Frank, a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist who has a strong interest in forgiveness intervention; and Lou Recine, co-author with Ann Recine on two journal articles on forgiveness and a Third Order Franciscan.

The purpose of the training has been to offer methods for encouraging forgiveness and to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of these methods in helping students to achieve freedom from past hurts and to achieve present and future peace. 

Says Recine, "Forgiveness is important because it is a great way for us to become happier and healthier in spite of others having hurt us.  Forgiveness is a gift to ourselves and to others in our lives." 

The forgiveness program was offered on two Saturdays in January.  About 50 students participated in the workshop activities. 

Luther College psychology professor Loren Toussaint directed the research and evaluation part of the project and has been involved in similar trials in the past.  He says, "The unique thing about this approach to teaching forgiveness is that it is very simple and accessible to everyone.  Most folks don't want a complicated method for relieving their burdens.  That's what this approach offers--a simple and straightforward method for reducing hurt, feelings or revenge, and anger." 

The evaluation of this method will continue for the next couple of months, and data analyses will begin shortly.  "This is an impressive forgiveness curriculum and an easy way to teach the concept.  It will be interesting to see how it works," says Toussaint.