The Art of Forgiveness : Art-based inquiry into how art helped in the process of forgiveness.

This article presents qualitative, art-based research exploring how art-making facilitated the forgiveness process for eight individuals who experienced severe personal injustices such as trauma, abuse, or loss. Through semi-structured interviews and creative reflection—including poetic distillation and visual art—the study identifies art as a safe, empowering medium that externalizes complex emotions, aids in narrative formation, and supports emotional regulation during forgiveness. The research outlines forgiveness as a transformative journey from emotional imprisonment to autonomy, highlighting art's role in enabling self-reflection, truth-telling, and identity reconstruction without requiring reconciliation with offenders. The findings contribute an art-informed perspective on forgiveness, emphasizing the therapeutic and symbolic functions of creative expression in healing from profound injury.