DEAR NATALIE: Politics is literally ripping my family apart. My brother and his wife have become more and more “MAGA” over the years. At first, we all accepted it. We recognize that my brother has always been vocal about his beliefs. But there are certain lines you just don’t cross with family. We were at my home for a family dinner that we host once a month to get all of my (six!) siblings and their families together. We have the biggest home, so we always host. Everyone brings food and it’s a great time. My youngest child has recently come out to us as trans. He is using a new name, Jack, and everyone has been incredibly supportive of this. He is 15. If this is how he feels, then we are going to love him for who he is. Jack is an incredibly sweet, kind kid and always was. Everyone loves him. Until this transition, he and my brother got along really well. But my brother won’t even look at him now. He called him an “abomination” at the dinner table. So, my husband threw him and his wife out. It was a terrible scene. Jack, of course, is blaming himself for what happened and is devastated over this. He loves his uncle and doesn’t understand why his uncle suddenly hates him. What do I say to this child? What do I say to my brother who I am furious with? Everyone else in the family agrees with us on this issue. Is there any way to put my family back together? –BROKEN PIECES

DEAR BROKEN PIECES: My heart breaks for your family and especially for Jack. Standing as your authentic self takes a lot of courage. I don’t know if much can truly be done to put this family back together other than time. Unfortunately, extreme beliefs lead to extreme actions. Calling his nephew an “abomination” is something you just can’t take back. Even if your brother were to apologize, the relationship is never going to be what it was. I hope your son has a therapist or someone he can talk to about all of these feelings so that he doesn’t fall into a sense of hopelessness, depression or suicidal ideation. Continue to just support him and love him, which is what you are clearly doing. As for your brother, I would wait a beat before reaching out to him – if you even want to do that. What he did was so hurtful and disrespectful, it may take a long time to recover from it. The reality is, these extremist views push people who buy into them so far into a corner, it’s like they can’t find a way out. An attack on their beliefs becomes an attack on their ego – on their very sense of self. Maybe someday your brother will come around, and I hope for your family’s sake that he does. But if his first words aren’t an apology, I don’t see how you can have any chance for a relationship in the far future. 

DEAR NATALIE: A few years ago, I moved into the city where my mom and brother live. I have a great job and a community of friends but my life is missing romance. I don’t know how to “meet” people. I am really family-oriented and am tired of my family ostracizing me because I don’t have a partner. I want to meet someone who I can eventually start a family with but I don’t want to scare them away by leading with that. How soon is too soon to introduce a new date to my family? I feel like whenever I meet someone new, I end up in a position where I don’t know how to communicate to them that I want to date seriously. What are the questions I should be asking on early dates to get to know if things will work long term? –TIRED OF WAITING

DEAR TIRED OF WAITING: I wish I could say online dating was the answer – and I’m not saying you shouldn’t put yourself out there however you choose – but I wouldn’t put all your eggs in that basket. It sounds as though you have built a strong community around you, so lean into social events and keep an open mind. Ask a few friends that you trust if they have anyone that they could introduce you to. Love always seems to find people when they let go looking for it. As for your family, your worth should not be measured by whether or not you have a partner. Let them know it offends and upsets you when they leave you out. They may not even realize what they are doing. When you do meet someone, take the time you need to see what it is that they want so that you don’t fall for someone who doesn’t share the same vision of the future. Ask questions in a way that provides space for openness, honesty and vulnerability. If you don’t hear what you want to hear, ask yourself if it’s a deal breaker or if you can bend with the wind. When it comes to introducing someone to the family, make sure you’ve had the big conversations first. What do they see for their future in the next five years? Is a family in the mix? Marriage? Living together? What does it look like? Are they career-oriented? Do they expect their partner to be? What are the dynamics? Relationships are a series of compromises, but finding out where you stand with your partner is important before you bring your family in the mix. In the meantime, enjoy your friends and build for yourself a life that brings you contentment. A partner will then be icing on the cake. 

Please send your questions to Natalie Bencivenga to

asknatalieadvice@gmail.com.

Check out her radio show every Saturday from 2-5pm EST on KDKA Radio 1020AM, 100.1FM, stream it on the

Audacy app or at www.kdkaradio.com

Watch her award-winning video series with Pennsylvania Capital Star, Facts Over Fear: www.penncapital-star.com

Follow Natalie on Instagram @NatalieBencivenga

and on TikTok @NatalieBencivenga

DEAR NATALIE: I just caught my business partner stealing money from our company. We have a small ad agency and have been growing over the past few years. We were finally making some real money. We have been friends for a long time, so I was shocked when I went into our joint account and saw that a lot – and I mean A LOT – of money was missing. When I confronted them about this, they denied it at first. Then they broke down and admitted that they used the money to pay off personal credit card debt and to help their son with student loans. I was truly enraged. They basically wiped us out. There’s no way they will be able to pay the company back unless they take out a significant loan. I’m not sure what to do. Do I press charges? This is my friend and I love them, but obviously I can’t be in business with them any longer. It raises so many questions, but at the core of this, I just feel utterly betrayed. I’m not returning their phone calls right now, as I need time to process this. My life partner says that I should definitely press charges and get a lawyer. But beyond that, I don’t know how to deal with this emotionally. Any thoughts? – BETRAYED AND BROKE

DEAR BETRAYED AND BROKE: While I certainly can’t speak to the legalities of this, I will say that it is a good idea to get a lawyer involved and have them explore your options. This is a tragedy on so many levels, but everyone makes their choices. They chose to do this and unfortunately, they will have to deal with the consequences of their actions. What makes this even sadder is the fact that you were friends before this happened. Now what? Where can you go when your relationship has been so damaged by their actions? Everything you built together is over. Beyond untangling this from a financial, legal and business perspectives, you are allowed to grieve for this friendship. Take the time you need to wrap your head around what has happened here. Feelings of betrayal, grief, rage and anxiety are all normal and expected. You don’t owe them anything right now. Focus on what you need in order to heal. If they want to rebuild any sense of a relationship with you, then they need to understand what a long road it will be to get there. And if you don’t want to go on that journey, then don’t. Work on the business first and then see what you have left to give. This may be the end of the road for your friendship and business relationship for good and you may need time to process that. Good luck to you. 

DEAR NATALIE: My sister just broke up with her longtime boyfriend and has gone a little bit off of the deep end. She is saying that she’s “done with men” and reinventing herself – including dating women. She cut off all of her hair, stopped wearing makeup and says she feels “liberated.” She was with her ex for about seven years and we always expected they would get married. They met in high school and we come from a very small, rural community. People marry young, have babies and generally don’t leave. She told my mother yesterday that she wants to move and is looking for work outside of the county. My parents are just horrified at her behavior. I am not nearly as conservative as them, but I do worry that she is setting herself up for backlash from the community. A few of her “friends” are already not speaking to her because of this. I’m not sure why she broke it off with her boyfriend, but wondering if she’s actually gay? Is this her way of coming out? What should I do to support her? – I LOVE MY SISTER

DEAR I LOVE MY SISTER: Kudos to your sister for recognizing that the life that was laid out ahead of her was not the life that she wanted. She may have been grappling with her sexuality for a while now, as many people come into their own as young adults. Perhaps she did everyone a favor by ending the relationship instead of faking it and making them both miserable in the long run. Now, as far as your parents are concerned, you can’t “make” them understand this. Hopefully in time, they will come around and recognize that this is still their daughter (new haircut or not). It saddens me to think of how many parents throw away relationships with their children simply because of who they love or how they choose to move in the world. As long as your sister isn’t hurting anyone, why shouldn’t she do as she pleases? I applaud her for standing up for herself and her needs. I applaud you for standing by her side. What a beautiful – and authentic – relationship you can now have with one another. Embrace it, cherish it and enjoy what blossoms.

Please send your questions to Natalie Bencivenga to

asknatalieadvice@gmail.com.

Check out her new radio show every Saturday from 2-5pm EST on KDKA Radio 1020AM, 100.1FM, stream it on the

Audacy app or at www.kdkaradio.com

Watch her award-winning video series with Pennsylvania Capital Star, Facts Over Fear: www.penncapital-star.com

Follow Natalie on Instagram @NatalieBencivenga

and on TikTok @NatalieBencivenga

DEAR NATALIE: My wife and I got into a huge argument the other night and I told her that I wished I had never married her. I don’t feel that way, I was just angry. It was such a stupid fight and now I feel as though we are in a bad situation made worse because of what I said. She said that she’s never talked to me that way and wonders if there is a kernel of truth to it. We’ve been married for seven years and while we’ve always had somewhat of a “volatile” relationship, I certainly don't want a divorce. How do I get her to move forward now even though I can’t take it back? – I JUST MISSPOKE

DEAR I JUST MISSPOKE: We have all been guilty of saying things in the heat of the moment that we wish we could take back. And telling your spouse you wished you never married them would definitely fall under that category. We can’t expect someone to just “move forward,” however, without actively working to repair what happened. It just doesn’t start and end with, “I’m sorry.” Actions speak louder than words, so you are going to have to plan some thoughtful date nights, write her a few love letters (or buy a few cute cards) and perhaps get her a few thoughtful gifts over the course of the next weeks and months to show her that you are glad that you married her. It will take time and effort on your part, but if you want your marriage to heal and grow even stronger, now is the time. I would also recommend reading “The Marriage Clinic” by John Gottman which has a lot of great exercises in it to use when you are actively repairing a relationship. Next time, think before you speak, because words can hurt the most from those we love.    

DEAR NATALIE: My best friend, Jordan, and I have been thinking about having a baby together. Neither of us have ever gotten married. We are both in our late 30s and work in corporate jobs with good salaries. We were talking the other night and just said how hard dating is and how we both want a family. I have watched him go through a divorce and he has seen me deal with one bad relationship after another. So why not live together as friends and raise a baby? I give up on ever finding love. Wouldn't it actually be easier if you took the sex out of the dynamic, anyway? My mother thinks I’m absolutely crazy and she thinks that Jordan is in love with me. She wanted to know how this would even work. Obviously, we would use IVF. I’m not attracted to Jordan…it didn’t even occur to me that he could be attracted to me. Do I bring that up? This seems like a great situation so I don’t want to mess it up. I really want to be a mother more than a wife, anyway. What do you think? – HAVE A BABY WITH MY BESTIE

DEAR HAVE A BABY WITH MY BESTIE: Mothers know best. This I have learned, and if your mother feels as though your best friend may be in love with you, you should sit with that. I’m not going to tell you how to create a family – especially if you both want this. But what if your mom is right and you intensify your relationship with this person, co-parent with them, and the whole time they are just waiting for you to fall in love with them. Things could get more than awkward – they could get downright hostile. If you factor in an innocent child with all of that, it could be a recipe for disaster. Better to put your cards on the table first. And it may be best to examine your own feelings, as well. Do you not think of him that way because you put him in the friend-zone? What is it about him that makes him a great best friend? Is he kind? Loyal? Thoughtful and caring? Secure in himself? Reliable? All of these are great qualities in a husband, too. Just something to think about.  

Please send your questions to Natalie Bencivenga to

asknatalieadvice@gmail.com.

Check out her radio show every Saturday from 2-5pm EST on KDKA Radio 1020AM, 100.1FM, stream it on the

Audacy app or at www.kdkaradio.com

Watch her award-winning video series with Pennsylvania Capital Star, Facts Over Fear: www.penncapital-star.com

Follow Natalie on Instagram @NatalieBencivenga

and on TikTok @NatalieBencivenga