Olive Green Capital F next to an upside down olive green capital F next to the words Fovgiveness actor

Welcome to Forgiveness Factor! We are here to help you forgive in an unforgiving world and see how forgiving is a part of a mentally healthy life.

We invite you to listen to some short audio boosts, sign up to receive written forgiveness boosts, find out where Tim is speaking, learn a little bit more about forgiveness, connect with the International Forgiveness Institute and more.

Combining research with lived experience to bring a unique point of view.

Wondering where Tim might be speaking next? Check out the Speaking page.

You can become a FF Supporter!

Forgiveness Factor is now a Creator on Buy Me a Cup of Coffee! This is an easy way to donate a little or a lot. Once or often. We come across opportunities to share about the power of forgiveness and some opportunities cost time AND money (or ask for a donation). While we are thankful to the Stoughton Area Community Foundation for supporting our work in Stoughton, sometimes we want to reach Wisconsin, or Mt. Horeb, or Whitewater, or La Crosse. Even Oklahoma City, or Washington D.C., or Orlando. We appreciate anything you can do to help support sharing forgiveness.


Forgiveness Audio Boosts

Forgiveness Factor is excited to partner with Life102.5 FM radio to talk forgiveness. Every Tuesday morning, around 7:15am and 9:15am, you can listen to a conversation with Tim Markle, from Forgiveness Factor, and Dave & Natalie, from Mornings with Dave & Natalie. Tune in at 102.5FM around the Madison area or online at https://life1025.com/.


October 2024

Beware the Chirp Choose to respond, not react Aired 10.8.24

Forgiveness Factor is currently seeking sponsorships for the rest of 2024 and going into 2025. There are different levels of sponsorship available — from sponsoring one Audio Forgiveness Boost or sponsoring multiple Boosts. You will be recognized on air, in the Forgiveness Boost email blast, and online at Forgiveness Factor. Other opportunities are available to spread the message of forgiveness at music festivals and other events. Find out more by emailing us at Tim@forgivenessfactor.org.

Listen to past Audio Boosts on our Audio Boost page.



Recent Events:

The 8 Keys to Forgiveness is an excellent book by Dr. Robert Enright, founder of the International Forgiveness Institute. In July of 2024, Tim Markle from Forgiveness Factor and Dave Conour from Life 102.5, held a four week online book study about The 8 Keys to Forgiveness. The following Tuesday mornings Life 102.5 Forgiveness Factor reflected on the previous night’s gathering. You can listen to those Forgiveness Boosts on our Forgiveness Audio Boost page.

All About Forgiveness May was Mental Health Awareness Month, and one of the most important ways to support your mental health is to learn about the power of forgiveness.  Tim Markle from The Forgiveness Factor will discuss how forgiveness can occur daily in your caregiving journey. We also talk about how forgiveness is critical in healing past trauma.  This is a must-listen-to episode if you want to learn how to be a more successful caregiver! Podcast with the Empowered Caregiver May 25, 2024

Role of Forgiveness In Recovery Was a virtual event with the Great Lakes Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Center Funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Includes video and slides.

Find more videos, podcasts, and radio episodes.


Forgiveness Boost

Coming soon


Learn more about inviting Tim to speak on the Speaking page.


The words we say

If you are like me, you grew up having to say “I forgive you” when someone said “I’m sorry.” As you got older, you may have learned people don’t always say “I’m sorry.” And the words “I forgive you” didn’t magically make forgiveness happen. ​Or maybe you listened to stories, teachings or sermons on forgiveness and you were convinced that forgiveness was a good idea. But no-one really taught you how to forgive.

Man with large mustache and soul patch wearing a red knit cap with an angry look on his faceWomen with dark hair resting her hand on her forehead in front of a brown coffee mugForgiveness? No way!
We have all been hurt.
Sometimes that hurt can change us.
Sometimes we can’t let it go.
Sometimes we just want to forget it ever happened.
Sometimes we try to hide it.
​Sometimes we try and try and try to get rid of the anger, the pain, the disappointment, the shame, the uncomfortableness.
We even yell at it to go away.
But it’s still here.

Some of us try avoidance, drinking, isolation, yelling, blaming, eating–
anything to get rid of the pain, to deal with the resentment.

Light bulbs hanging from tree branches above the word HOPE spelled out in light boxesThere is hope!

For thousands of years philosophers and theologians have promoted forgiveness. Forgiveness is core to many worldviews. A few decades ago, psychologists and others began to test and research how people forgive and if forgiveness is good for us. The great news is their work has resulted in ways we can learn to forgive one another. AND what they have learned is available to everyone. It is available to you.

Tim Markle has been teaching forgiveness for many years in Wisconsin. He has been on his forgiveness journey for much longer than that. In addition to his work with Forgiveness Factor, Tim is also a contributing writer and speaker for the International Forgiveness Institute. He is available to speak about forgiveness and other topics. Tim’s teachings are based on the fantastic work of Dr. Robert Enright, “the father of forgiveness research.”

To receive regular updates on the Forgiveness Factor Community, sign up to receive our encouraging Forgiveness Boosts.