How to Accept an Apology

This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011. This article has been viewed 336,872 times. If someone has offered an apology after hurting you, one way to accept it is to tell them “Thank you for apologizing” instead of brushing it off with an “It’s fine” or “It’s nothing.” Be willing to show gratitude to the person for having the courage to admit their mistake, since it’s not always easy to apologize. Once you thank them for their apology, make it clear that your feelings were hurt and be specific about how their actions hurt you. Be sure to tell the person that you understand why they did what they did and make it clear that you’re willing to move past it. Otherwise, you might seem disrespectful, especially if they were serious about their apology. For more advice from our co-author, including how to tell if an apology is genuine or not, read on!