Therapist Uncensored Podcast Saving Relationships in a Polarized World: Bill Doherty on Citizen Therapists & Political Healing (281)
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Sep 23, 2025 In this engaging conversation, Bill Doherty, a Professor Emeritus of Family Social Science and a co-founder of Braver Angels, sheds light on the idea of 'Citizen Therapists.' He delves into discernment counseling for couples navigating political differences and the impactful work of Braver Angels in fostering dialogue. Bill emphasizes the importance of curiosity and respectful boundaries in hard conversations. He shares tools for bridging divides, highlighting values over policies and the need for narratives to foster understanding in our increasingly polarized world.
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Use The Fishbowl For Deep Listening
- Use the fishbowl method: one group speaks while others listen for commonalities.
- Ask participants why their side's values are good and what reservations they have about their own side.
Origin Story Of Braver Angels
- Bill Doherty recounts the spur-of-the-moment founding of Braver Angels after the 2016 election.
- He was anxious but designed a weekend dialogue that proved profoundly powerful and scalable.
Lead With Values, Not Policies
- Starting political conversations at the level of values opens space for common ground.
- Policies and politicians are lower-level means that often obscure shared aspirations.
Bill Doherty is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. As a therapist, he focuses on couples on the brink of divorce and on political stress in relationships. He has authored 14 books for professionals and the public. Following the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, he co-founded Braver Angels, a citizen initiative bringing conservatives and liberals together to counteract political polarization and restore the fraying social fabric in American society. Bill is the chief designer of the Braver Angels workshops and has conducted sessions all over the country, including for corporations, state legislatures, and the Problem Solvers Caucus in Congress. Braver Angels now has volunteers working in all 50 states. Among his awards is the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Family Therapy Academy.
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