In this article the author discusses the efforts he has made to preserve his important relationship with a family member, working through issues related to vaccine mandates, Covid tests, and the reading of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s book The Real Anthony Fauci. The author describes how significant issues in his family relationship have gotten resolved through a mutual give-and-take with his family member with openness to communication and compromise on both of their parts, facilitated by the

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... 's willingness to engage in reading Kennedy's book on Fauci that challenged many of his initial beliefs. However, the author was also able to convey concerns that he had about Kennedy's book to his family member, resulting in an authentic communication between them and a preservation of their relationship. Finally, the author relates his experiences to the empathy and authenticity core principles of humanistic psychology, with a focus on Kirk Schneider's experiential democracy work to try to heal the political polarization divide in the United States.