COMIC: How to make peace with your guilty feelings

By Andee Tagle,

Published May 22, 2024 at 9:04 AM EDT

You broke someone's heart. You missed your kid's recital. You weren't there for your mom when she needed you. Guilt can be painful 鈥� but it can also be a powerful tool for connection.

, who researches honesty and moral character at Carnegie Mellon University, and , a clinical psychologist based in Austin, Texas, explain how to cope with some of the unhealthy emotions that can come with guilt 鈥� and transform it into a positive force.

The comic was edited by Andee Tagle and Beck Harlan. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.

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Andee Tagle

Andee Tagle (she/her) is an associate producer and now-and-then host for NPR's Life Kit podcast.

Malaka Gharib

Malaka Gharib is the deputy editor and digital strategist on NPR's global health and development team. She covers topics such as the refugee crisis, gender equality and women's health. Her work as part of NPR's reporting teams has been recognized with two Gracie Awards: in 2019 for How To Raise A Human, a series on global parenting, and in 2015 for #15Girls, a series that profiled teen girls around the world.

See stories by Malaka Gharib

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