PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — This election season has been a tough time for some families. People who might ordinarily get along well may find themselves on opposing ends of the political spectrum. A Philadelphia therapist says recently the majority of her sessions have been about the election.
“Preserving the relationship may be the most important thing. For other people, it may be an issue of self respect,” says therapist Emma Steiner.
Steiner is co-interim CEO and chief clinical and program officer at the Philadelphia nonprofit Council for Relationships.
She says you should weigh the pros and cons before bringing up a topic or candidate.
“Avoidance is not a long-term strategy for remaining close to somebody, because not talking about something, holding something back … that is a barrier to closeness and intimacy and only serves to create distance over time.”
If it gets heated, Steiner suggests taking a break. Walk away, but be sure to finish the discussion in some way.
🎧 Full Emma Steiner Interview
It really comes down to having empathy for the person you love, says Steiner
“As much as we feel that our humanity might have been taken away by the other side — by painting them with the kind of all-or-nothing brush, we are doing the same thing,” Steiner says.
Steiner says remembering that humans are complex and trying to find common ground between you and your loved one is the best way forward in preserving your relationship.
“I think the most important thing for all of us to do is to try and hold on to our objectivity and the humanity of other people, particularly the people we care about,” Steiner said.
“There is common ground there. It’s really just about the path that gets to that thing that differs.”