Healing Dysfunctional Families Through Compassion and Forgiveness

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In this moving and ultimately beautiful epsiode, two guests share intimate stories about growing up in dysfunctional families shaped by the emotional volatility of one parent — and the journey toward healing and forgiveness.

Parva Moshiri grew up with an unpredictable mother whose periodic tantrums and rages would ignite conflict and fear. As a child, Parva became the family’s mediator. As an adult, she became a caretaker for both parents and eventually a therapist herself. In this episode, Eileen and Fred work directly with Parva to help her take the first steps in her own forgiveness process.

Judith Janssen was raised by a father whose anger and dominance overshadowed family life, while her mother’s despair became so overwhelming that she attempted suicide when Judith was 11 years old. Judith would crank up Metallica in her headphones as a teenager to drown out the sound of their fighting. Over time, however, she discovered something unexpected: compassion for the father who had wounded her. Today, she looks back on her story with gratitude for the wisdom and resilience that helped shape her into the coach and facilitator she has become.

This episode offers a powerful reminder that forgiveness does not excuse harmful behavior. Rather, it can help us release old burdens, reclaim our own lives and find meaning even in the most difficult family histories.

Judith Janssen

Judith Janssen is an experienced trauma-informed coach and facilitator specializing in leadership development and forgiveness. Based on her own life journey, she built a business in 2009 called U-turn Coaching & Personal Development, including a profound forgiveness training called Letting Shit Go. Her focus is on helping people to overcome trauma, learn how to forgive, and treat themselves with love, kindness, and self-compassion. Connect with Judith at u-turncoaching.com.

Parva Moshiri

Parva Moshiri was born in Tehran and eventually moved to the United States to continue her education after completing high school in London. She has a master’s degree in education and psychology, has worked at the Department of Child and Family Services, and has had a private therapy practice.

Dr. Fred Luskin

Dr. Fred Luskin is the director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects. He’s also the author of the bestselling books, Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love. Forgive for Good is the best-selling self-help book published on the topic of forgiveness. Fred has been interviewed hundreds of times in worldwide media, including The New York Times, O Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Time Magazine, Huffington Post, and he has been featured on the Today Show and CBS Morning News. Learn more at fredluskin.com.

Dr. Eileen Borris

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Be Part of Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Timestamps

00:00 Stuck But Shifting Perspective

00:19 Welcome And Meet The Guests

03:13 Parva Childhood With Rage

05:59 Boundaries And Mother’s Death

08:05 What Forgiveness Means Now

10:07 Judith Dysfunctional Childhood

11:34 Caregiver Role And Loss

14:25 Escape To Buenos Aires

15:26 Anger Marathon Turning Point

16:30 Reframing And Forgiving Dad

18:40 Boundaries After Forgiveness

19:49 Patterns Victim To Hero

23:29 Victimhood And Moral Superiority

26:24 Repression And Self Forgiveness

29:08 Superpower Of Caring Love

31:09 Final Takeaways And Closing

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Conflicted Caregiving: Forgiving Illness

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Blood is thicker than water—and family also has the unique power to push all of our buttons. In this episode two guest share candidly about a beast rarely spoken of: resentment against ourselves or loved ones going through illness.

Karen Krebs is still working to forgive herself and her body through multiple rounds of cancer treatment and graciously accepts on-the-spot coaching from Fred and Eileen.

Barbara Hunt was finally able to overcome her stiff upper lip and emotional denial and recognize underlying resentment at caring for her aging mother. This set her on a path of becoming a forgiveness specialist herself.

This very special episode is inspiration for anyone in the middle of a forgiveness process, and in the end finding the beauty and balance between self-love and being a caretaker.

Karen Krebs

Karen Krebs is a healthcare executive with more than 30 years of experience in behavioral health and medicine, committed to helping individuals and families access treatment, begin recovery, and rebuild their lives. She brings a compassionate, informed perspective to navigating today’s complex healthcare system. With roots in New York and Massachusetts, Karen now resides in West Seattle, where she is a devoted caregiver to her 94-year-old father, who lives with her.

Barbara J Hunt

Barbara J Hunt is a forgiveness specialist and advocate, speaker, workshop leader, global peace visionary, award-winning and bestselling author of “Forgiveness Made Easy: The Revolutionary Guide to Moving Beyond Your Past and Truly Letting Go.” She has over 30 years experience in personal and spiritual development as a mentor, coach and group facilitator. She works in private practice internationally, and is also a musician and singer-songwriter. Connect with Barbara at forgivenessmadeeasy.co.uk and her YouTube channel.

Dr. Fred Luskin

Dr. Fred Luskin is the director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects. He’s also the author of the bestselling books, Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love. Forgive for Good is the best-selling self-help book published on the topic of forgiveness. Fred has been interviewed hundreds of times in worldwide media, including The New York Times, O Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Time Magazine, Huffington Post, and he has been featured on the Today Show and CBS Morning News. Learn more at fredluskin.com.

Dr. Eileen Borris

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Be Part of Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Timestamps

00:00 Emotional Shutdown

00:15 Season Two Welcome

00:55 Caregiving and Illness

01:25 Meet Karen and Barbara

02:52 Karen Cancer Wakeup Call

06:05 Caregiver Stress and Resentment

06:56 Self Forgiveness Struggle

09:32 Barbara Young Caregiver Story

11:06 Resentment and Forgiveness Path

12:29 Host Reflections on Caregiving

17:10 Choosing Caregiving

20:30 Tools for Self Forgiveness

21:53 Culture Duty and Boundaries

23:41 Resentment as a Signal

25:23 Freedom and Choice Reframing

27:38 Final Messages and Takeaways

32:46 Closing Thanks and Resources

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Shedding the Victim Story: Lyndon Harris on Forgiveness After 9/11

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Welcome to Season 2 of Voices of Peace: Personal Forgiveness, with a new name, a new focus and a new co-host, Fred Luskin. Our first guest is Lyndon Harris. Lyndon was an Episcopal priest in New York City when his life after 9/11 fell apart. He dealt with PTSD, personal injustice, divorce, and losing his house — yet until he hit rock bottom, he never thought about forgiveness. When he finally did, forgiveness changed his life in the most amazing way.

Lyndon Harris

Lyndon Harris is a former Episcopal priest, whose journey toward forgiveness began in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. His work was covered widely in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and a host of others. But in the aftermath of 9/11, Lyndon’s life fell apart. Forgiveness became the essential tool for reclaiming his life. Harris is a forgiveness teacher now and has been invited to offer keynotes and workshops around the world. He is co-author, with Dr. Luskin of the Forgive for Good Recovery Workbook.

Learn more at lyndonharris.com

Pre-order Lyndon’s memoir, release date June 2026:

Forgiveness at Ground Zero: A Journey of Service, Loss, and Redemption after 9/11

Dr. Fred Luskin

Dr. Fred Luskin is the director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects. He’s also the author of the bestselling books, Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love. Forgive for Good is the best-selling self-help book published on the topic of forgiveness. Fred has been interviewed hundreds of times in worldwide media, including The New York Times, O Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Time Magazine, Huffington Post, and he has been featured on the Today Show and CBS Morning News. Learn more at fredluskin.com.

Dr. Eileen Borris

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Be Part of Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Timestamps

00:00 Forgiving Imperfection

00:14 Season Two Kickoff

00:49 Meet Fred and Lyndon

02:55 Lyndon Before 9 11

04:40 Witnessing the Attacks

07:56 St. Pauls Relief Mission

09:16 Conflict and Resignation

12:31 Bitterness and Revenge

15:47 Life Falls Apart

18:47 Rock Bottom and Gratitude

22:31 Self Forgiveness Breakthrough

26:35 New Mission and Love

28:41 Advice for the Stuck

30:13 What Forgiveness Means Now

32:33 Closing and Resources

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Welcome to Season 2! Voices of Peace: Personal Forgiveness

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I’m thrilled to announce we’re just days away from the season 2 kick-off of my podcast! To reflect a new focus on forgiveness in our daily lives, the title is now “Voices of Peace: Personal Forgiveness,” and I’m delighted to have Dr. Fred Luskin as my co-host. Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects and the author of the bestselling books, Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love. Fred is a true expert on forgiving spouses, parents, children, friends, co-workers, bosses — and even ourselves.

We have a fresh line-up of interviews with more forgiveness leaders and forgiveness stories, as well as normal people struggling to forgive. For the first time ever, Fred and I will be offering forgiveness coaching on the podcast. Our first guest is Lyndon Harris, who was an Episcopal priest in New York City when his life after 9/11 fell apart. Listen to this quick teaser with a few snippets from the first episode!

Dr. Fred Luskin

Dr. Fred Luskin is the director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects. He’s also the author of the bestselling books, Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love. Forgive for Good is the best-selling self-help book published on the topic of forgiveness. Fred has been interviewed hundreds of times in worldwide media, including The New York Times, O Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Time Magazine, Huffington Post, and he has been featured on the Today Show and CBS Morning News. Learn more at fredluskin.com.

Dr. Eileen Borris

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Be Part of Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Timestamps

00:00 We Are More Than Our Mistakes

00:21 Podcast Welcome

01:01 What Forgiveness Feels Like

01:40 Stories and Takeaways

02:00 Join the Journey

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I want to forgive, but don’t know where to start.

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When is anger appropriate? How does humility play a part in forgiveness? What about those who cling to revenge? Is there an optimal time for forgiveness? How do I deal with guilt? When do I need to set a healthy boundary? How do we heal trauma?

The participants in this conversation did not hold back. Through their tough and insightful questions we had a rich dialogue about the deep emotional processing involved in forgiving. I’m honored to share excerpts from my conversation with Mary Noble of Feminenza International and participants of the Erasmus+ project “A Resilient Life,” where I answer their questions about all the ways forgiveness can release emotional burdens and lead to healing, hope, resilience, and freedom.

This was such a wide-ranging conversation with so many wonderful forgiveness stories — don’t miss the complete video. This conversation explores the vital role forgiveness plays in our personal healing and features a rich dialogue with participants from Kenya, Kosovo, Israel, and across Europe.

FEMINENZA INTERNATIONAL

Feminenza International is a global non-profit organization focused on women’s development, trauma healing, and education in forgiveness co-founded by Mary Noble, who has been a guest of mine in previous episodes.

For more information about Feminenza programs reach out to contactus@feminenza.org

Dr. Eileen Borris

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Be Part of Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Timecodes

00:00  Forgiveness is inner healing, not about the other person

01:30  Meet Dr. Eileen Borris and Mary Noble

03:16  Revenge: The “revenge story” exercise and grieving what was lost

05:04  What forgiveness is—and isn’t

05:44  Humility and anger

08:23  Trauma healing and forgiveness timing

11:47  Stories of transformation

16:12  “I want to forgive, but where do i start?”

18:21  From pragmatic to spiritual: deeper layers of forgiveness

25:57  Hope vs. authoritarianism

27:43  Everyday forgiveness: boundaries, verbal abuse, and the guilt cycle

31:16  Closing and season 2 preview: New co-host and new focus

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She Forgave Her Ex

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At 33, Mary Noble’s world shattered—her husband suddenly left her for another woman. Pain and shock ruled for months, until one night a vivid dream sparked an unexpected epiphany: Forgiveness. That single word shifted everything and she forgave him. “It was this feeling of grace,” she recalls. Mary spent the next 20 years on a journey to understanding what it really means to forgive, which led her around the globe to her work in Kenya.

Mary Noble

Mary Noble is the co-founder and CEO of Feminenza, a nonprofit organization where she creates and leads training programs in forgiveness. Enjoy this reboot of her episode as we prepare to do a deep dive on personal forgiveness in 2026. Mary was a joy to interview and so transparent about finding herself in one of the most challenging situations. Her story of forgiving someone close to her is an inspiration for all of us.

Contact Mary

Email: forgiveness@feminenza.org

Feminenza: https://feminenza.org

Dr. Eileen Borris

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Be Part of Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction to Political Forgiveness

00:33 Introducing Antti Pentikainen

00:45 Life in War Zones

02:33 Transition to Academia and US Advisory Role

03:55 The Concept of Sacrifice

08:56 Spiritual Injury and Healing

15:14 Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation

24:35 The Role of Art and Community in Healing

28:06 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

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Forgiveness Is a Skill. These Are the Trainers.

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This final episode of season 1 features three guests from Forgiveness International, a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote interpersonal forgiveness through ESPERE, the schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation. This conversation with Leocadia Montero-Hainley, Rodney Peterson, and Daniel Carman brought me back to the heart of why I do this work.

These three shared stories of gang interventions, restorative circles, and interfaith reconciliation that reveal how deeply harm shapes us — and how powerful it is when people choose to reach out in forgiveness. From a mother who forgave the man who paralyzed her daughter to children learning that forgiveness can become a new default, these guests remind us that healing truly begins with the individual. We can all learn this skill. And when we do, it reshapes our families, communities, and society.

Season two of “Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace” begins spring of 2026 focusing on individual forgiveness. I’ll be joined by co-host Dr. Fred Luskin of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects and author of the bestselling books, “Forgive for Good” and “Forgive for Love.”

Leocadia Montero-Hainley

Leocadia Montero-Hainley is a psychotherapist and principal of Leocadia Consulting specializing in conflict resolution, trauma processing, and restorative justice. She leads restorative circles and offers workshops that help communities rebuild trust, heal harm, and strengthen relationships.

Rodney Peterson

Rodney Peterson served as executive director of the Boston Theological Institute and the Consortium of Theological Schools in the greater Boston area. He currently leads workshops on forgiveness and reconciliation with Boston’s Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries and is a visiting scholar at Duke Divinity School.

Dan Carman

Dan Carman is the director of Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries, Boston’s oldest interfaith social-action network, and serves as vice chair of Forgiveness International. His work centers on community healing, interfaith collaboration, and developing practical pathways toward reconciliation.

Mentioned in the Episode

Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict by Donna Hicks

Dr. Eileen Borris

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Join Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:18 Introducing the Guests

03:21 Leo’s Journey from Law to Psychotherapy

07:54 Dan’s Story: From Bullying to Mediation

13:04 Rodney’s Work in Forgiveness and Reconciliation

18:36 Transformations Through Forgiveness

26:57 Personal Impact of Forgiveness Work

30:10 Final Thoughts and Messages

33:17 Conclusion and Season Wrap-Up

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Secrets of Peace Negotiator Antti Pentikäinen

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What can a former terrorist negotiator teach us about healing our families and ourselves? In this moving conversation, Antti Pentikäinen shares what he’s learned from conflict zones to parenting teens: Transformation begins with how we see one another. The energy we bring into a room—whether love or judgment—shapes every outcome. Antti invites us to become “insider reconcilers” in our own lives, healing divisions through presence, compassion, and belief in the dignity of others. You are the healer your family and community need.

Antti Pentikäinen

Finnish Peace Prize winner Antti Pentikäinen is currently professor of practice at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University, executive director of the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation and the Think Peace Learning and Support Hub, where he leads research on how communities and nations heal after violence. He has a lifelong dedication to peacebuilding, reconciliation, and truth-seeking processes that have left a profound impact on communities worldwide.

He also works with indigenous communities on decolonizing mental health and finding ways to connect their cultural practices to existing mental health modalities. Previously, Antti served as Finland’s Special Envoy on the refugee crisis, advised the U.N. on genocide prevention, and worked in the U.S. Institute of Peace and served as Secretary for the U.S. TRHT Leadership Group.

Antti has written a book called How Nations Heal. If anyone knows of an agent or publisher who might be interested, please contact Antti Pentikainen at apentika@gmu.edu.

Contact Antti

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University

Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation

Think Peace Learning and Support Hub

LinkedIn: @Antti Pentikäinen

Dr. Eileen Borris

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Be Part of Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction to Political Forgiveness

00:33 Introducing Antti Pentikainen

00:45 Life in War Zones

02:33 Transition to Academia and US Advisory Role

03:55 The Concept of Sacrifice

08:56 Spiritual Injury and Healing

15:14 Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation

24:35 The Role of Art and Community in Healing

28:06 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

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Ambassador Chowdhury on Forgiveness

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In this conversation, I sit down with Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, whose decades of global peace work remind us that true peace isn’t just the end of war — it’s the end of prejudice, injustice, and inequality. He shares how forgiveness and gratitude form the heart of the culture of peace, and why women’s equality and empowerment are essential to it. From Hiroshima to Ashland, Oregon, his message is clear: Real peace grows from local acts of love and equality.

Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury is a former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations, widely recognized for championing the global “culture of peace.” He led the adoption of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security — the first to link women’s equality to global peace. His recent book, Creating the Culture of Peace: A Clarion Call for Individual and Collective Transformation, distills decades of diplomatic experience into a call for forgiveness, compassion, and equality.

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of “Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness” and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Be Part of Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Time Codes

00:00 Introduction to the Culture of Peace

00:38 Meet Ambassador Chowdhury

03:10 Ambassador Chowdhury’s Early Life and Career

06:57 The Role of Women in Peace and Security

12:49 The Importance of Community in Promoting Peace

19:21 The Power of Gratitude

24:19 Ambassador Chowdhury’s Reflections and Advice

29:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Biology, Brains, and the Business of Forgiveness

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Tim Phillips has witnessed firsthand how forgiveness reshapes lives—whether in high-stakes negotiations that ended apartheid and sectarian violence, or in the emerging science that shows forgiveness can literally rewire the brain.

As a leader who has supported reconciliation processes from South Africa to Northern Ireland, Tim shares wisdom from figures like Desmond Tutu alongside insights from neuroscience and trauma research. He reminds us that forgiveness is not only a liberating personal choice but also a biological necessity: By understanding ourselves better, we begin to understand others — even our oppressors. Leadership, brain plasticity, and extraordinary stories of reconciliation all come alive in this wide-ranging conversation.

Tim Phillips

Tim Phillips is the founder and CEO of Beyond Conflict, a nonprofit organization that works with leaders to address conflict and promote social change in the United States and abroad. Tim has led efforts to catalyze the peace and reconciliation processes in several nations, including Northern Ireland, El Salvador, and South Africa, and has advised the United Nations, the US Department of State and the Council of Europe. Building on this body of experience, Beyond Conflict has partnered with cognitive and behavioral scientists to generate insights at the intersection of behavioral sciences and real world experience.

Where to Find Tim Phillips

LinkedIn: Timothy Phillips

Website: https://beyondconflictint.org

Dr. Eileen Borris

Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.

Be Part of Eileen’s Community

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.

Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness

Timecodes

00:00  Introduction to Political Forgiveness

00:27  Meet Tim Phillips: Founder of Beyond Conflict

01:11  Exploring Post-Communist Europe

04:07  The Legacy of Apartheid in South Africa

08:36  The Miami Show Band Massacre

14:17  The Neuroscience of Forgiveness

20:58  Political Forgiveness in the Modern World

33:17  Final Thoughts and Reflections

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