The holiday season is here, but many people across the country may be dreading sitting down with their nearest and dearest, all because of politics.

They're stealing themselves for eye rolls, heated exchanges, and awkward silences.

But our guests on this show say it doesn't have to be that way.

This is Let's Find Common Ground. I'm Ashley Melntite.

And I'm Richard Davies.

First, we meet a father and daughter with different political views and talk to them about how they talk to each other.

Claire Ashcraft and her father Brian both live in Ohio.

Claire is a college student who appeared in a recent podcast of ours. She leans liberal.

Her father Brian is an engineer and a conservative.

And then in the second half of this podcast, we turn to an expert for advice.

Tanya Israel is the author of the book Beyond Your Bubble.

And she gives us some very practical ideas on how to keep things civil.

If you feel your blood pressure is rising and how to minimize conflict and maximize cooperation with parents, friends, and family.

We begin with father and daughter Brian and Claire Ashcraft.

I started off by asking Claire if she took part in political discussions at home when she was growing up.

I didn't participate in the beginning because I didn't know what I believed.

I listened and sometimes repeated that at school or something.

But as soon as I started for my own beliefs, I did eventually participate because I felt like I couldn't not participate.

It was something that I had begun to feel passionate about.

And so when I felt like my parents were wrong and I cared about them and I wanted to teach them what was right.

Because that's genuinely the way I felt when I was that age.

I did feel like I had to speak up and participate in those discussions.

...