Hey there. This week, many of us have been gathering with family and we'll have more get-togethers in the weeks ahead, which can be wonderful, but also kind of complicated, especially if some of those relationships feel strained. So we're bringing you this episode from our archive all about navigating those tougher family dynamics. I hope you enjoy it.

This is In Conversation from Apple News. I'm Shemita Basu. Today, why more families are

estranged than ever, and how to heal the divide. With all of the end of the year holidays approaching,

it's a time when many of us are reminded of the strained, sometimes estranged relationships we have with our family.

A 2022 survey from UGov showed that over one quarter of Americans said they're

estranged from at least one family member, including parents, children, siblings, and grandparents.

It happens for all sorts of reasons, although this year, after a particularly divisive election

season, some of those tensions are ratcheted up even higher.

We asked listeners to tell us your stories about estrangement in your families, and we were overwhelmed with calls.

Hi, my name is Stephanie.

My name is Eddie Gonzalez.

My name's Brea Paley from Queens, New York City.

Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Orange County, California.

Philadelphia, PA. And I'm estranged from my mother, my sister, and my brother.

I haven't spoken to my stepfather in almost 10 years.

I've had to go non-contact with my mother.

Lots of things that attributed to me cutting him out of my life.

Intergenerational trauma.

A narcissist.

There was alcohol involved.

Politics or climate change.

...