Page 142 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5

A Portrait of a Christian Psychologist: Paul C. Vitz

of the harm” (Gehm, 1999). case in order to provide an example of negative
Negative feelings can thus arise when the re- residuals, and their misinterpretation as requi-
paration task is perceived as too easy or lax. ring the client to self-forgive.
The question of just punishment or restitution Ms. X had an abortion some years ago. She was
has long challenged the understanding of for- returning to her Christian faith, but felt guilty
giveness. Discerning the measure of penance and disturbed by her abortion - although she
that would not only be just but also most fruit- had gone to confession and been absolved by
ful for the healing experience of forgiveness a priest. After that confession she was asked
should become more apparent with the help afterwards to perform a very modest penance.
of the therapist. It is more difficult when done Ms. X continued to feel bad and was not sure
in the isolated subjectivity of the self-forgiver’s if her negative feelings were guilt, shame, or
role as we have seen. quite what. She definitely felt a psychological
For true self-understanding, the dignity of the burden, which in her words “pulled her down.”
“criminal”, as a being distinct from his crime, She described her negative feelings as due to her
must also be taken into account. “Whereas pu- “not having forgiven herself.” Because of these
nishment may be viewed primarily as the inflic- feelings Ms. X signed up for a weekend retreat
tion of pain in retaliation for the pain inflicted that focused on women seeking to cope with
by the offender, penance calls for a much more the psychological and emotional consequences
careful linkage between the harm and its expia- of their abortions, in the context of spiritual he-
tion” (Gehm, 1999). Further, penance, if social aling.
in nature, reintroduces the transgressing client The retreat was run by a women’s Catholic or-
into the society and interpersonal world that ganization; but the participants were from va-
was harmed through the act of injustice. Self- rious Christian denominations. At this retreat
forgiveness, as noted, tends to isolate. Within were five other women with the same problem.
that isolation, the client cannot be affirmed as The retreat began with a video presenting the
distinct from the crime since he or she operates moving testimony of a woman who had an ab-
only in an intrapersonal world. ortion and of her reactions to it, including the
By reaching out through spoken words of apo- meaning of the abortion for her moral and
logy and concrete works of reparation, clients religious life. This woman explained how she
experience their own capability to turn wea- found peace and resolution. After watching the
knesses into strength. “Reparation enables the video the women discussed its message, and
possibility of forgiveness, increased self-worth then moved on to other activities. During the
and ultimately social inclusion rather than ex- retreat the women carried around with them a
clusion” (Blatier, 1999; also Zechmeister & Ro- moderate sized stone that represented the baby
mero, 2002). and the psychological burdens - guilt, shame,
Through seeking and accepting interpersonal sorrow - that the abortion had caused.
forgiveness, and through making reparation, At various periods in the retreat, each woman
the client is challenged in the context of relati- had the opportunity to tell about her abortion,
onship to recall that we are to love and respect including the particulars of each story. There
ourselves as we do others. The client does this was great relief in being able to discuss their
for the sake of reinstating relationships, which previously hidden abortion story with other
frees the person to move from self-imposed women whose dignity and worth were obvious,
isolation. The religious client has the additional and by implication this dignity and worth ap-
goal of responding to God’s loving invitation to plied to each of them. There were also scripture
reconciliation. In either case, it is through inter- readings and times for prayer. The women were
personal forgiveness that the self is itself inte- given the opportunity to name their aborted
grated, and no longer isolated. children and to take part in a memorial service
for them. All this greatly helped with the grie-
A Brief Case History ving process. Additionally, there was the oppor-
We present this description based on an actual tunity to practice offering forgiveness in person.

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