REAL PEOPLE, REAL CONVERSATIONS
- Are you and a loved one struggling with political disagreements and voting differently in the presidential election?
- Would you like help from Dr. Bill Doherty, a national expert on families and lead designer of Braver Angels’ transformative Bridging the Political Divide workshops?
- Would you like your story to help other people learn from your challenges and your new ways of meeting those challenges?
If you said “yes” to these three questions, you can apply to receive help for your politically-divided relationship and to share your story with a large number of people who have been in your shoes. To be clear: you and your loved one would have to be willing to be coached/interviewed on a webinar with a viewing audience of Braver Angels members.
>> Interested in the opportunity but want to chat with us before applying? Email us at eventorganizers@braverangels.org.
>> Ready to potentially give it a go? Please review the overview and frequently asked questions below, then click here for you and your loved one to apply (you must each fill out the form separately.)
OVERVIEW
In today’s highly partisan world, family members and other loved ones are struggling with how to manage their political differences.
This webinar will feature a pair of loved ones (couples, siblings, parents and adult children, close friends) being interviewed and helped by an expert on the family dynamics of political differences. There will be a live audience (off screen) and the webinar will be recorded for the benefit of those who cannot attend in person.
The goal is to help participating pair and the audience learn better ways to manage their political differences for the sake of their relationships. We hope it helps our country as well!
The moderator will prepare the participants via a conversation prior to the interview.
Webinar Plan (90 minutes)
- The session host sets the stage, introduces the pair and the moderator.
- The moderator asks each partner to say something about themselves and why they decided to do this interview.
- How things usually go: The pair have a freelance conversation on a pre-selected topic of their choosing—in the way they typically have the conversation.
- Learning a new way: The moderator then engages them to help them learn from how these conversations go and what adjustments (attitudes and skills) they might make to have better conversations and help their relationship.
- The pair tries the earlier conversation in a new way, with help from the moderator.
- Comments from a small Braver Angels panel on what we can all learn from the interview.
- Reflections from the pair.
- Reflections from the moderator.
- Braver Angels messages.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1.What kind of personal relationship is this intended for? It’s for people who care deeply about each other and are bothered by how they are handling their political differences.
2. Who is it not intended for? People whose political differences are just one of a number of serious relationship problems. Or people who have already figured out how to handle their political differences.
3. Who will moderate the webinar? For now, it’s Bill Doherty, Ph.D., a national expert on the family dynamics of political differences. He is a cofounder of Braver Angels and the principal architect of the Braver Angels workshops.
4. How will it be conducted online? You’ll need to access Zoom and have good internet connectivity.
5. How many people will be observing? It’s hard to know in advance. Could range from a few hundred to a couple of thousand. They will all be invisible and you will soon forget they are there.
6. Is this therapy? No, it’s more like a coaching experience. Bill will not be asking you to discuss other parts of your relationship.
7. What if we say things that we don’t want to be on a permanent recording? You have two options in that case. You can request that a section of the interview be deleted from the video recording, or that the whole recording be erased.
8. Is this going to be all serious or are we likely to have some fun? Fun, politics? Are you kidding? Actually, prepare for some laughter. Bill plans to enjoy his part, so why shouldn’t you?
More questions? Email eventorganizers@braverangels.org
