For years now many families have avoided talking politics at the Thanksgiving table. But thanks to the politicization of science in the COVID era, now even our public health work may seem off limits for discussion with Angry Uncles or Conspiracy-Theory Cousins. But that could all change this holiday season if you give the Change Conversation Cycle a try. It’s a 5-step process for reducing polarization and hostility, building trust, and rediscovering shared values. It can work in both public health communication and private settings, too.
This week, join Health Comm Central for Part One of our conversation with Karin Tamerius, M.D., a political psychiatrist who is the developer of the Change Conversation Cycle (CCC) and the founder of Smart Politics. Dr. Tamerius is also the creator of several interactive online chatbots, AKA the “Angry Uncle Bots” that provide practice using the CCC to reduce polarization and change hearts and minds.
In Part One of this two-part series, we talk about the importance of framing issues as choices and building trust one person at a time. Plus Dr. Tamerius shares what led her to create the Change Conversation Cycle and how we can all be less triggered by misinformation and arguments and more strategic and effective in our response.
Next week: Part Two!
Resources:
Smart Politics: https://www.joinsmart.org/
The Angry Uncle Bots (an interactive tool for practicing the Change Conversation Cycle):
- COVID: https://thrive.kaiserpermanente.org/care-near-you/southern-california/chat-bot
- Climate Change: https://davidsuzuki.org/climate-conversation-coach/
- Politics: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/11/26/opinion/family-holiday-talk-impeachment.html
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© 2022 Karen Hilyard, Ph.D.
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