Forgiveness Is a Skill. These Are the Trainers.
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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