Practitioners of this form of healing hold that when a person believes themselves wronged, they will feel emotions such as anger, hurt, rage, and resentment. While these emotions may initially be justified, holding on to them can result in a variety of mental and physical problems. As an example, some people will not forgive a parent for the way that parent treated them decades ago, and even long after the death of the parent. The only person these emotions harm is the person who does not forgive.

Helping a person forgive others (and themselves for feeling so angry or hurt) is believed to result in a healthier person. Numerous methods of forgiveness therapy have evolved and are practiced by some complementary and alternative medical practitioners. Most trace the practice back to the work of Dr. Robert Enright.