Ukrainian news outlet LIGA.net has published an analysis with therapists Anastasiia Dovbenko and Olena Ivanchykova examining how individuals can resolve long-term personal resentment. The inquiry explores the psychological reasons people remain trapped in painful memories, while evaluating whether moving forward requires an individual to forgive an offender.
According to the outlet, feelings of deep resentment can persist for months or even years, repeatedly drawing a person's thoughts back to the same confrontation. Individuals often dwell on what was said, reconsider how they ought to have responded, and question why another person treated them unfairly.
LIGA.net reported that these lingering grievances continue to undermine personal mood, self-esteem, and relationships with other people, even when all communication with the offender has ended. The project examines why individuals remain fixated on distressing experiences that cannot be changed, offering guidance on how to process unspoken emotions, cease reliving past arguments, and redirect attention to daily life.
Therapeutic methods and psychological background
To examine these emotional patterns, the report consults specialists from two distinct therapeutic traditions. Anastasiia Dovbenko works in cognitive behavioural therapy, an established form of psychotherapy that focuses on how thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes influence emotions. In clinical practice, cognitive therapists help patients identify distorted or recurring negative thought loops, providing practical exercises to manage emotional distress.
Olena Ivanchykova is a Gestalt therapist, a humanistic discipline developed in the mid-twentieth century that emphasises present-moment experience and personal responsibility. Rather than analysing past events in isolation, Gestalt therapy encourages individuals to acknowledge and articulate unresolved feelings, helping them address unfinished emotional conflicts.
Founded in 1997, LIGA.net is a prominent independent Ukrainian media organisation providing news and analytical commentary. The media outlet confirmed that the full analysis has been published on its digital platform, where subscribers have access to thematic topic feeds, audio editions, and editorial archives dating back to the organisation's launch.
