The present volume is a ground-breaking and agenda-setting investigation of the psychology of self-forgiveness. It brings together the work of expert clinicians and researchers working within the field, to address questions such as: Why is self-forgiveness so difficult? What contexts and psychological experiences give rise to the need for self-forgiveness? What approaches can therapists use to help people process difficult experiences that elicit guilt, shame and self-condemnation? How can people work through their own failures and transgressions?

Part I: Understanding Self-forgiveness.- Orientation to the Psychology of Self-forgiveness.- Understanding Shame and Guilt.- An Evolutionary Approach to Shame-based Self-Criticism, Self-Forgiveness and Compassion.- Working through Psychological Needs Following Transgressions to Arrive at Self-forgiveness.- Repairing Meaning, Resolving Rumination, and Moving toward Self-Forgiveness.- Part II: The Causes and Consequences of Self-forgiveness.- The Measurement of Dispositional Self-Forgiveness.- Self-Forgiveness and Health: A Stress-and-Coping Model.- Self-Forgiveness and Personal and Relational Well-Being.- Self-forgiveness within Couple Transgressions.- Self-Forgiveness and Religious/Spiritual Struggles.- The Dark Side of Self-Forgiveness: Forgiving the Self Can Impede Change for Ongoing, Harmful Behavior.- Part II: Applications of Self-forgiveness in Psychopathology and Psychotherapy.- Part (a): Models and Modalities of Intervention.- Self-Forgiveness in Individual Psychotherapy: Therapeutic Models and Counseling Outcomes.- Group Intervention to Promote Self-Forgiveness.- Self-Forgiveness in Couple and Family Therapy.- Self-directed Intervention to Promote Self-forgiveness.- Part (b): Clinical Applications to Specific Domains.- Self-Forgiveness and Military Service: Equipping Warriors to Combat Moral Injury.- Self-forgiveness and Treating Personality Disorders.- Self-Forgiveness, Self-Harm and Suicidal Behavior: Understanding the Role of Forgiving the Self in the Act of Hurting One's Self.- Self-Forgiveness, Addiction, and Recovery.- Self-Forgiveness and Hypersexual Behavior.- Self-forgiveness at Work.- Self-Forgiveness and Pursuit of the Sacred:  The Role of Pastoral-Related Care.- Self-forgiveness in Older Adulthood.- Conclusion.