Forgiveness

Dr. Mario Martinez's perspective on forgiveness is an intriguing one, rooted in his work as a clinical neuropsychologist and proponent of biocognitive science. He teaches that forgiveness isn’t about excusing or absolving the person who caused harm—vindicating the offender—but rather about shifting the internal narrative and emotional imprint the offense leaves on us. This process, as he frames it, happens at the "mindbody level," a term that reflects his view of the deep interconnection between psychological states and physiological responses - cultural psychoneuroimmunology.

In this model, forgiveness becomes an act of self-liberation because it’s less about the external event or person and more about freeing oneself from the lingering effects of how the offense was interpreted. For Martinez, our interpretations—how we make meaning out of what happens to us—shape our emotional and even physical health. Holding onto resentment or anger keeps us tethered to the event, while reworking that interpretation…