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By Meghan Yost, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Feeling stressed? Maybe you should try forgiving someone -- an act doctors say can profoundly improve your mental and physical health.
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But forgiving doesnt just mean forgetting, as the old adage says. Rather, its an acquired skill to deal with hurtful situations, Dick Tibbits, Ph.D., Chief People Officer at Florida Hospital, told Ivanhoe at the ForgivenessHealing Ourselves, Our Communities, Our World conference in Orlando, Fla. on February 7th.
One of the key ingredients to forgiveness is the technique of reframing -- making a conscious effort to see a hurtful situation in a new light. As a psychologist would explain, certain stimuli can elicit certain responses. Recalling a painful event can elicit painful feelings, but reframing breaks that association, Dr. Tibbits said.
Dr. Tibbits also recommends practicing reflection. Before reacting to a hurtful situation, take a moment to reflect on what happened and then decide how to respond. Reflective acts like meditation and prayer can prevent situations from escalating further.
You might be asking, Why should I forgive when I was the one who was wronged? Well, according to Dr. Tibbits, the reality is everyone needs forgiveness because everyone makes mistakes at some point in their life. Some people might also be worried that forgiving a person is condoning their negative behavior. But Dr. Tibbits explained, Forgiveness does not change what happened, only how we feel about what happened.
Life is like a game of cards -- You have no control over what hand youre dealt, but you have full control over how you play the game, Dr. Tibbits analogized. In the game of life, you can either choose to live with past burdens, or you can choose to take control of your life and let go of stress that is keeping you down.
When having trouble getting over a painful event, just remember Dr. Tibbitss words: The purpose of forgiveness is to heal the whole person -- body, mind and spirit.
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SOURCE: Ivanhoe interview with Dick Tibbits, Ph.D., and Forgiveness: Healing Ourselves, Our Communities, Our World conference, Orlando, Fla., Feb. 7, 2008
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
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