Forgive and Forget? Forgiveness, Personality, and Wellness Among Counselors‐in‐Training

Abstract

Forgiveness as a method of addressing "wounds" has been linked to enduring aspects of personality and improved physical and mental health outcomes. The aim of this study was to understand the effects of forgiveness on counseling students' overall wellness. Counseling students (N = 115) from 5 universities completed self-report measures of forgiveness, wellness, and personality. Results indicate that, when personality factors are controlled, forgiveness contributes a significant proportion (10%) of the variance in wellness for counseling students. Implications for counselor training and counseling are discussed.

The Effects of a Group Supervision Intervention to Promote Wellness and Prevent Burnout

“…This identified result is consistent with that of Roach and Young (), who found no difference in wellness among CITs at different stages of their training programs. Although there was no change in total wellness, we identified relationships between wellness and burnout dimensions, suggesting that positive aspects of mental health (i.e., lower levels of burnout) were related to wellness, which is similar to previous research (Moorhead et al, ; Smith et al, ). For example, CITs experiencing higher levels of emotional exhaustion also reported lower scores on the following wellness factors: Creative Self, Coping Self, and Social Self.…”

“…Some evidence exists that wellness is related to positive mental health among CITs, including less psychological distress (Smith, Robinson, & Young, ), higher levels of ego development (Lambie, Smith, & Ieva, ), and lower levels of neuroticism (i.e., anxiety, depression, excessive emotionality; Moorehead, Gill, Minton, & Myers, ). Thus, there is some research to support the relationship between wellness and positive mental health among counselors and CITs.…”

Beliefs of Counselor Trainees about Forgiveness

“…Forgivingness facilitates interactions between groups, and creates enduring interpersonal relationships. For counselor trainees, forgivingness contributed significantly to the variance of wellness (Moorhead et al, 2012). Additionally, forgivingness facilitates intrapersonal relationships.…”

“…The construction of a therapeutic relationship impacts a counselor's growth to establish a meaning for life, to cope with his/her own stress and traumatic life events, and to develop his/her own spirituality and mental health (Jodry, 2003). Effects of forgiveness on counseling students' overall wellness were investigated, and forgiveness was found to contribute a significant proportion of variance in wellness for counselor trainees (Moorhead, Gill, Minton, & Myers, 2012). They emphasized that "counselor trainees who were more inclined toward forgiveness also reported meaning-making processes toward self and others" (Moorhead et al, 2012, p. 90).…”

Poor, Rural Women: Spirituality, Religion, and Wellness Across the Life Span

“…For many of these women, spirituality and religion represent coping methods linked to holistic wellness (Moorhead, Gill, Barrio Minton, & Myers, ). Understanding the role of spirituality and religiosity for rural women in poverty was the first step by researchers in identifying strength‐based methods for promoting holistic wellness in this underserved population.…”