W

hen Megan met a father who forgave the man who killed his son, she was both moved and puzzled. How did he do it? And why? Forgiveness has long been touted by religious leaders as a moral imperative. But Megan wanted to know exactly what it means from a scientific perspective, how it plays out in various situations, and how to do it.

In a quest for answers, she visited people with remarkable tales of forgiveness across the country and around the world, from inner city Baltimore to suburban Scottsdale to the heart of Africa. She also explored some dark chapters of her own past, and ended up on a surprising personal adventure.

By examining the science and stories of interpersonal and inter-group forgiveness, Megan’s book explores how this age-old concept, when practiced in the right ways, can save lives and maybe even lead to a better world.

Triumph Of The Heart Featured in National & International Media: Since its launch from Penguin Random House in 2015, the book has been featured by outlets including Psychology TodaySalon, The TelegraphPBSThe Daily BeastThe San Francisco ChronicleHuffPo Women, and more than 20 radio shows, including nationally syndicated NPR and SiriusXM. It was named a “Best Book of 2015 on the Science of a Meaningful Life” by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley. View Megan’s TEDx Boulder talk about the journey below.

  • I believe that it is vital for us all — both as individuals and as a society — to think deeply about the question of forgiveness and its power to transform. I delight in the amount of research that Megan Feldman Bettencourt has done here, and I welcome her book as an important contribution to our ongoing cultural conversation about this important topic. I hope it will lead many to reconsider their anger, their bitterness, and their resentments.

    Elizabeth Gilbert #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and The Signature of All Things
  • With stirring stories and serious science, this eloquent book left me questioning my core beliefs about forgiveness.

    Adam Grant Ph.D, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take
  • Presenting scientific research alongside her own personal experiences, as well as fascinating insights into the stories and practices of others, Megan Feldman Bettencourt expertly demonstrates why forgiveness is so essential in our world today.

    Marina Cantacuzino Founder of The Forgiveness Project
  • Bravo to Megan Feldman Bettencourt for making the process of forgiveness more accessible, and thus the healing of the world more near.

    Marianne Williamson New York Times bestselling author of A Return to Love and A Year of Miracles
  • Triumph of the Heart skillfully explores forgiveness through many lenses. It is a compelling personal story interwoven with  other narratives of forgiveness engagingly embedded in the research and science.

    Fred Luskin Ph.D., founder of The Stanford University Forgiveness Projects and author of Forgive for Good

Media

Harper’s BAZAAR
How forgiveness has been weaponized against women, and why #MeToo is our chance for an upgrade.

Radio Times on WHYY
Megan and two professors weigh in on the forgiveness that Botham Jean’s brother showed Amber Guyger.

Psychology Today
“Triumph of the Heart: A father’s journey illuminates the ways in which forgiveness can be one of life’s most transformative acts—if we only allow ourselves to embrace it.”

The Telegraph
“Forgiveness: Why it’s the new mindfulness”

The San Francisco Chronicle
“Forgiveness doesn’t mean reconciliation” (Op-Ed)

Salon
“The Science of Forgiveness: Researchers are studying how we can let go of our grievances and live a healthier life. Here’s how it works.”

The Daily Beast
“Forgiveness is good for you – So why can’t you do it? Megan Feldman Bettencourt’s new book, Triumph of the Heart, makes the moral and scientific case for forgiveness.”

PBS: To the Contrary 
“Megan is interviewed about the book and applications and science of forgiveness.”

Publisher’s Weekly
“Triumph of the Heart: Forgiveness in an Unforgiving World: “This compelling investigation into an important subject may well inspire readers to give the concept of forgiveness a bigger place in their lives.”

HuffPo Women
“Forgiving the Unforgivable”

The Baltimore Sun
“Fostering Forgiveness in Schools and Communities” (Op-Ed)

Greater Good Science Center, University of California at Berkeley
“Learning Forgiveness in an Unforgiving World: A new book explores why we forgive and how forgiveness can help us”

Mind Body Green
“Why Resentment is Toxic + What to Do About It”

The One You Feed Podcast
“Megan is interviewed about forgiveness as it applies to health, philosophy, and a range of interpersonal & collective situations.”

5280: The Denver Magazine
“Colorado author Megan Feldman Bettencourt traveled the globe to unearth the stories behind forgiveness.”

The Albuquerque Journal
“Author says writing book taught her to forgive”

The Deseret News
“New book presents forgiveness as teachable skill to build healthier, happier life”

Denver Westword
“Megan Feldman Bettencourt on forgiveness and Triumph of the Heart”

Colorado Public Radio
“Denver author collects stories of forgiveness from around the world”

The Star Tribune
“Forgiving Well Leads to Living Well”