The Power of Guilt: Why We Feel It and Its Surprising Ability to Heal [Hardcover]

Guilt is one of the most powerful (and unpleasant) emotions we experience. When we feel it, we want it gone. But it carries an important purpose we should learn not to ignore.

When was the last time you felt guilty? Chances are, you don’t even want to think about it; most of us would rather not. But avoiding guilt is a mistake we have to stop making if we want to improve our lives, our relationships, and our mental health.

Drawing on extensive research into psychology, psychotherapy, philosophy, legal studies, and comparative religion,The Power of Guiltoffers a new perspective. In this fascinating deep dive, readers will learn:
• The evolutionary origins of guilt, what its real purpose is, and how it
impacts us
• Why we should view guilt as a healthy emotion—and even be grateful for it
• How to reframe guilt as an opportunity to grow and strengthen our
relationships
• Why collective guilt holds the potential for driving social change

Our ability to feel guilt is a gift, not a burden. We need only change the way we respond to it.The Power of Guiltoffers an engaging and eye-opening journey through one of the most notortious and underutilized emotions.Dr. Chris Mooreis a professor of psychology and former dean of science at Dalhousie University in Canada, as well as a former Canada Research Chair at the University of Toronto. He holds a PhD in developmental psychology from the University of Cambridge and an MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King’s College. He has spent his career studying human social understanding and relations, and has published well over 100 research papers, edited 5 books and special issues of academic journals, and authoredThe Development of Commonsense Psychology(Psychology Press, 2006). He has had numerous invitations to present at academic conferences and universities around the world and has enjoyed many researlc�