Self-condemnation and pathways to self-forgiveness

Regret is such a short word…and yet it stretches on forever. Ranata Suzuki

Often we (researchers) would begin a chapter like this by defining what our key concept actually is – in this case self-forgiveness. But, for this chapter, I would like us to go in another direction.
Let us first skip over the somewhat murky puddle that can be stirred up when discussing self-forgiveness (debating what self-forgiveness is and isn’t, whether self-forgiveness is even an appropriate term, its moral or theological justification, its pros and cons, etc.), and instead consider a simpler question – does self-condemnation occur? If so, why? Should we help people to work through the experience of self-condemnation – and if so how can we do that? In this way, I will propose that pathway to self-forgiveness is one possible way of responding to self-condemnation – to the self that judges and can hold a grudge! What we have learnt through researching self-forgiveness provides us with useful tools that we can use to help those that are experiencing self-condemnation.