IFI Audio Visual Resources
Training Videos for Professionals:
- Forgiveness – This 100-minute training video (in DVD and VHS formats) is available from the
American Psychological Association (APA). Dr. Robert Enright, professor of educational psychology, and Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons, MD-psychiatrist, discuss and demonstrate their forgiveness-centered approach to psychotherapy. - Forgiveness Therapy in Practice – In this 100-minute video program, Dr. Enright demonstrates his approach to forgiveness therapy with a female client who feels hurt by her mother.
Both training videos are available from the APA.
Peace Video Library
A series of professionally produced video interviews with Dr. Robert Enright is now available to view at no cost on a website called Inner Change which bills itself as “a video journey into our collective humanity, where visitors can discover what it means to be fully human, what resources we all share, how we can tap into our full potential as humans.” The website includes interviews with psychologists, spiritual teachers, activists, and neurologists. Musical meditation segments follow each video.
- The Essence and Definition of Forgiveness (2 min. 15 sec.) – In this interview, Dr. Enright defines forgiveness from an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, and interfaith perspective that basically includes what Socrates would call the “essence” or core of forgiveness. He concludes by adding that the highest form of forgiveness is to unconditionally love those who hurt us.
- How I Became Involved in Forgiveness Studies (4 min. 16 sec.) – Dr. Enright explains how after years of studying moral development at the behest of his employer, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he asked himself, “What might make a difference in the world in people’s lives?” The answer he came up with in 1985 was “the virtue of forgiveness” which he saw as a way to heal from the injustices we all face.
- The Two Paradoxes of Forgiveness (1 min. 0 sec.) – In this brief segment, Dr. Enright outlines the two paradoxes (apparent contradictions that are not contradictions) of forgiveness: 1) by forgiving, you are giving unexpected goodness to the person who hurt you; and, 2) in the process, you become stronger and emotionally healed.
- Learning to Forgive in the Small Things (3 min. 19 sec.) – By practicing forgiveness with the smaller hurts in your life, what Dr. Enright calls “exercising your forgiveness muscles,” you can become forgivingly fit and more easily handle the larger injustices in life.
Psychology America Podcasts:
Have you ever had anger that didn’t seem to go away over time? What if your anger is toward a spouse that has betrayed you; toward a lover who has cheated on you? What do you do? What are the five steps to take if YOU are the one who has been unfaithful? How do you get over divorce anger? How can you leave a legacy of empathy and love for your children, for the following generation, rather than toxic anger? This 58-minute podcast was recorded on Dec. 23, 2018, in Dr. Alexandra’s New Jersey studio. – Access the podcast –
In this podcast episode, Dr. Alexandra discusses two new research projects recently completed by Dr. Robert Enright and Dr. Maria Gambaro with 103 men in a U.S. maximum-security prison. Also addressed is “Why should I care what happens to these men? They’re in prison for a reason.” This 67-minute podcast was recorded on Aug. 9, 2020. In the first three weeks that this podcast was available on Dr. Alexandra’s site, it was downloaded by individuals in 225 US cities and 22 foreign countries. – Access the podcast –
“This new series of podcasts is groundbreaking because each of them focuses on just one element of the forgiveness process,” according to Dr. Alexandra . “That enables us to produce what I call ‘super brief episodes’ that are each between five and ten minutes in length.”
In the first program released on Dec. 1, 2022, Dr. Alexandra asks just one question: “What is the definition of forgiveness?” Dr. Enright provides a complete yet succinct answer in less than five minutes of podcast time. In the second episode of the series, Dr. Alexandra asks: “What are the benefits of forgiveness?” Dr. Enright’s response, less than nine minutes in length, summarizes decades of scientific research documenting the physical and emotional benefits of forgiveness.
The remaining episodes include:
3. What are the two paradoxes of forgiveness?
4. Does forgiveness have to be about religion?
5. What is it to work the “forgiveness muscle?”
6. How do we become “forgivingly fit?”
7. What are some of the obstacles to forgiving?
8. Why is an “eye for an eye” not the right way?
9. If I forgive, I’m afraid I’ll forget OR if I forgive, I’m afraid I won’t forget.
10. Why is forgiveness better than a neutral attitude toward the wrongdoer?
11. Isn’t forgiveness unhealthy repression?
12. Do I forgive if the person continues to hurt me?
13. Should I forgive immediately or should I take some time first?
14. How do we decide who to forgive first?
15. How long does it take to get emotional relief after forgiving?
16. How often should I forgive?
17. Can forgiveness and justice happen together?
New episodes of the series will be released every few days on the Psychology America website where they are available at no cost.
Dr. Alexandra Miller, Psy.D. is a mother of four and an expert in family systems psychology, cognitive behavioral psychology (CBT) and clinical psychopharmacology. She has earned a Doctorate in Psychology, a master’s degree (Ed.S.) in Marriage and Family Therapy, and a Master of Science (MS) Degree in Clinical Psychopharmacology. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Alexandra is an officer and board member for a children’s advocacy center in Newton, NJ, that helps prevent and treat child abuse. She is the author of “There’s Always Hope”–– a children’s book that inspires hope and teaches empathy for the physically disabled.
Relationships Made Easy Podcast:
In this one-hour four-minute podcast episode, Dr. Abby Medcalf interviews Dr. Robert Enright, whom she calls “the author of the book that changed my life–Forgiveness Is a Choice: A Step-by-Step Process for Resolving Anger and Restoring Hope.” Dr. Medcalf explores Dr. Enright’s evidence-based forgiveness model, what it means to forgive, and why you would want to forgive someone in the first place.
Dr. Abby Medcalf is a relationship expert, author, motivational speaker and thought leader who has helped thousands of people create connection, happiness and fulfilment in their relationships (both work and personal) through her books and programs. Her unique background includes degrees in both psychology and business.
Forgiveness Education Videos:
This short news video features both Matt Beisser, Principal at St. Dennis Catholic School in Madison, WI, and forgiveness researcher Dr. Robert Enright. It outlines how Forgiveness Education programs are being implemented at St. Dennis and eleven other parochial schools in Wisconsin’s capitol city. A Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Enright has committed his life to studying the science of forgiving others. Among the many scientifically documented Forgiveness Education curricula he and his fellow International Forgiveness Institute associates have developed is an anti-bullying curriculum being used in schools around the world.
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Dr. Enright outlines how Forgiveness Education can be a pathway to peace around the world in this 47-minute video presented to CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in October 2022. CANDLES was founded by Eva Mozes Kor, a survivor of the Holocaust, whom Dr. Enright accompanied on a guest tour of US radio and television stations to promote peace through forgiveness in 2015. Ms. Kor, with her twin sister Miriam, was subjected to human experimentation under Josef Mengele at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II yet she publicly forgave her tormentors. During that tour, Ms. Kor repeatedly used this axiom:
“Let’s work together to heal the world through forgiveness. Not bullets, not bombs. Just forgiveness. Anger is a seed for war. Forgiveness is a seed for peace.”
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- Forgiveness Education in Northern Ireland, Israel, and the Philippines
In this 12 min. 24 sec. interview, Dr. Enright highlights the benefits of Forgiveness Education and outlines his work with Stranmillis University College, Belfast, Northern Ireland, and more than a dozen Belfast grade school classrooms in an international Forgiveness Education research project funded by the
John Templeton Foundation. The project, which also included schools in Israel and the Philippines, culminated in the International Educational Conference on Agape Love and Forgiveness held in Madison, WI, on July 19-20, 2022.
American Psychological Association (APA) Interview:
In this video, recorded at the 2011 American Psychological Association (APA) Convention in Washington, DC, author Robert D. Enright talks about his book, The Forgiving Life: A Pathway to Overcoming Resentment and Creating a Legacy of Love. Dr. Enright offers scientifically supported guidance to help people forgive those who have acted unfairly and who have inflicted emotional hurt. The book is available from amazon.com or from the APA website.
- Watch the full 5 min. 32 sec. interview
- Read six short reviews of Dr. Enright’s book The Forgiving Life
International Research Award Interview:
The Expanded Reason Award is presented annually by the University Francisco de Vitoria (Madrid, Spain) in collaboration with the Vatican Foundation Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI (Rome, Italy) “to recognize and encourage innovation in scientific research and academic programs.” Two members of the International Forgiveness Institute (IFI) Board of Directors were selected to receive the 2019 award in recognition of their Forgiveness Therapy research–Dr. Robert Enright, founder of the IFI, and Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons, MD, Director of the Institute for Marital Healing just outside Philadelphia, PA. In this video recorded at the Expanded Reason Congress (and awards ceremony) in Madrid on Sept. 19, 2019, Dr. Enright explains the importance of forgiveness across the social science disciplines and the significance of creative thinking, particularly in psychology.
International Educational Conference on Agape Love and Forgiveness
Twenty-Six (26) Video Tapes
A sell-out crowd of 160 attendees from 13 countries packed the Fluno Center Auditorium for the International Educational Conference on Agape Love and Forgiveness that was held July 19-20, 2022, in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
While the first-ever international conference to focus exclusively on the moral virtues of agape love and forgiveness is now history, the content of every speaker’s presentation was captured on video that can now be viewed online absolutely free at the links below.
A total of 26 professionally-produced conference presentations are now available in four languages — Arabic, English, Hebrew, and Mandarin. The videos vividly display the talents of educators from Northern Ireland, Israel (both Hebrew- and Arabic-speaking), Taiwan, the Philippines, and the US. Those speakers outline their experiences teaching agape love and forgiveness to their 5th grade students and outline creative Forgiveness Education teaching techniques.
The conference was the culmination of a 3-year research project funded by the John Templeton Foundation and administered by Dr. Robert Enright, a University of Wisconsin-Madison educational psychology professor and co-founder of the International Forgiveness Institute (IFI).
Agape Love and Forgiveness Presentations:
Jerusalem Conference on Forgiveness for the Renewal of Individuals, Families, and Communities
Twenty-Two (22) Video Tapes
The Jerusalem Conference on Forgiveness, the first forgiveness conference ever held in the Middle East, was organized and produced by the International Forgiveness Institute on July 12 and 13, 2017. Day 1 of this 2-day conference included speakers from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam discussing what it means to forgive, the importance of forgiveness, and how to better interact with others through forgiveness. Day 2 focused on how to bring forgiveness to children and adolescents in school and at home. The program included presentations by educators who are implementing forgiveness education, personal testimonies, and opportunities for everyone to contribute their ideas.
Now you can view every presentation of the entire conference whenever you wish. TelePace, an Italy-based telecommunication service, professionally video-recorded all 22 sessions. They are available to you at no charge here.
Conference speakers included:
- Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, 2016 recipient of the Templeton Prize
- Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash of the Palestinian Authority
- Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, the Philippines
- Bishop William Shomali of the Latin Patriarchate of Jordan
- Dr. Robert Enright, founder, International Forgiveness Institute
Day 1 – The Science of Forgiveness
Day 2 – The Science of Forgiveness Education
Rome Conference on Forgiveness: Virtue of Forgiveness Formation in Educational Programs to Promote Peace
Pontificia Universita della Santa Croce
Nine (9) Video Tapes
The Rome Conference on Forgiveness took place on Thursday, January 18, 2018 at the University of Santa Croce, near the Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy.
Video tapes of all presentations at the conference are all available below thanks to the Videoltre film crew. Please click on the speaker’s name to access the video presentation. At the end of the speakers’ list is a playlist option in which all of the videos are available in one place.
What was the focus of the conference?
This was a one-day conference in beautiful Roma. The program first focused on forgiveness education with children and adolescents. The next set of speakers discussed forgiveness from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, examining what it means to forgive, the importance of forgiveness, and how to better interact with others through forgiveness.
View the videotaped conference.
(Click on the speaker’s name to access his/her presentation.)
Fr. Luis Navarro, Rector, Professor, University of Santa Croce, gives the opening remarks. “The way to forgive is to love……It is an honor for us to have this conference here……It will be useful for us today…but also for the future.”
Fr. Robert Gahl, Professor of Philosophy, University of Santa Croce, introduces the entire set of talks for the afternoon. “It is an exceptional occasion so that we can all go deeper in our understanding of forgiveness whether more from an academic perspective, or a personal, or spiritual, or diplomatic, or political.”
Dr. Robert Enright of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the International Forgiveness Institute, Inc. discusses the science of forgiveness education. What does it mean to forgive? What is forgiveness education? What is the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of forgiveness education? Why should we have forgiveness education.
Annette Shannon discusses forgiveness education at Holy Cross Girls Primary School in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Alison Sutherland, Director-at-Large of the Rotarian Action Group for Peace informs us of some of the peace initiatives in which her groups are involved.
Peta Pellach of the Elijah Interfaith Institute in Jerusalem discusses forgiveness in Judaism.
Hon. Omer Ahmed Kerim Berzinji, Ambassador of Iraq to the Vatican, discusses forgiveness in Islam.
Msgr. Mariano Fazio discusses forgiveness from a Christian perspective.
Learn More: “About the International Forgiveness Institute”
Become a “Peace Builder” by signing The Forgiveness Pledge.