Who Benefits When We Practice Compassion, Acceptance, and Forgiveness? We Do!

By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist

Introduction

The evidence and the practice show that people generally feel better when they practise compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness. These are moral qualities, but they are also learnable psychological skills that help most people move through life with greater ease.

Who Benefits When We Practice Compassion, Acceptance, and Forgiveness? We Do.
Not only do we feel better emotionally, but our autonomic nervous system also receives a nice little balancing tune up.

These are not just moral virtues. They are powerful tools for emotional and physical wellbeing.

Be compassionate,
be accepting,
be forgiving.

Everybody wins. But the person who benefits most is you.

Why Compassion, Acceptance, and Forgiveness Matter

Compassion-focused approaches increase warmth toward the self and others, reduce harsh self-judgment, and support resilience during stress ^[1]. Acceptance-based approaches promote emotional flexibility and help people relate differently to difficult thoughts and feelings without avoidance ^[2]. Evidence also shows that forgiveness-based interventions reduce distress, anger, anxiety, and interpersonal strain, while improving general wellbeing ^[3][4].

From a psychological and physiological perspective, compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness help regulate our stress response system. They can reduce inflammation, calm the sympathetic nervous system, and support parasympathetic activity, leading to better mood, improved sleep, stronger relationships, and even a healthier heart.

The Physiology

These practices also interact with the autonomic nervous system. Research shows:

• Mindfulness and acceptance-based training support healthier heart rate variability, indicating improved parasympathetic settling ^[5][6].
• Compassion is linked with higher vagal tone and increased heart rate variability, reflecting a calmer physiological state ^[7].
• Forgiveness is associated with lower physiological stress, improved immune markers, and better long-term health ^[4][8].

The Challenge

These practices are not easy, especially when we are hurt, angry, or grieving, but over time, they become pathways to peace, resilience, and growth.

Try it for yourself. Start with a small act of compassion toward yourself or someone else today. Reflect on what acceptance might look like in a difficult situation. Explore forgiveness, not as approval or forgetting, but as a way to free yourself from the weight of resentment.

Because while it benefits others, the real healing begins within.

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References

1. Gilbert, P. (2019). Explorations into the nature and function of compassion. Current Opinion in Psychology, 28, 108 to 114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.002
2. Lindsay, E. K., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Mechanisms of mindfulness training. Monitor and Acceptance Theory. Clinical Psychology Review, 51, 48 to 59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.10.011
3. Wade, N. G., Hoyt, W. T., Kidwell, J. E. M., & Worthington, E. L. Jr. (2014). Efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions to promote forgiveness. A meta analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82(1), 154 to 170. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035268
4. Rasmussen, K. R., Stackhouse, M., Boon, S. D., Comstock, J. R., & Ross, S. R. (2019). Meta analytic connections between forgiveness and health. Psychology and Health, 34(12), 1322 to 1345. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2018.1545906
5. Nijjar, P. S., et al. (2014). Modulation of the autonomic nervous system assessed through heart rate variability by a mindfulness based stress reduction program. International Journal of Cardiology, 177(2), 557 to 559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.08.116
6. Natarajan, A., Pantelopoulos, A., & Worringham, C. (2023). Heart rate variability during mindful breathing meditation. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 1017350. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.1017350
7. Di Bello, M., Ottaviani, C., & Petrocchi, N. (2020). A meta analysis on the connection between compassion and heart rate variability. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 118, 108 to 121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.012
8. Toussaint, L. L., Shields, G. S., & Slavich, G. M. (2016). Forgiveness, stress, and health. A five week dynamic parallel process study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 50(5), 727 to 735. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9796-6