I met a friend for lunch yesterday who was encouraging me to offer a support group for recently divorced women who want to find love again, but might not be ready to get out there quite yet.
At first I questioned her about what I could cover in a group like this. As we talked, Sharon explained she had made so many mistakes after her divorce and she wished she could have had access to someone like me. Having a knowledgeable dating coach in her corner would have saved her a lot of heart break and angst, even before she got started.
Interesting idea. So many women want to know where to meet men. That is often the very first question popping into their minds. However, as a coach for women dating over 40 or dating after divorce, I know there are several crucial steps that come before where to find and meet men.
For example, are you open to men? Do you feel bitter, angry, disillusioned, or very guarded? Will you flirt with men or do you think this is simply unnecessary? How is your self-esteem? Do you have the confidence to handle rejection that is part of the dating process? Do you understand the opposite sex enough to navigate the emotional waters of the dating arena?
In such a group, we could discuss:
– Beliefs and attitudes about men that will prevent a good connection
– How to reduce or drop your baggage?
– How to open your eyes, heart and mind to love and men?
– How to shore up and strengthen your self-image and build dating confidence?
– What to avoid in conversation or in your online profile?
– What to expect with online dating?
– How to read between the lines of men’s profiles and emails?
– How to be savvy about using this method to meet men?
– How to establish your dating IQ so you’re savvy about the singles’ scene?
– Do you have a support network for advice and to help when you over think a situation?
– Do you have a dating buddy to motivate you and go out to meet men with?
The more I think about this – the better an idea it seems…
If you’re a single women who is recently divorced and have more ideas on what would be good for me to cover, please share them with me. Leave a comment so I can know what people need and want to help them get ready and be smart about getting out there.
This does make a lot of sense – having a solid foundation and a basic dating IQ would provide a better foundation or jumping off spot for dating than simply striking out on your own. Thanks Sharon for your input! Girlfriends are great!
Where else can I find more information like this?
I like this idea too Ronnie.
I have someone very close to me in this situation. She is going out all the time and going through the motions however she is not dealing with her ’emotions’.
Perhaps you could cover this area about getting yourself right first – learning to love yourself again including forgiving yourself and handling your emotions.
I am learning, writing and teaching a lot about emotional intelligence myself these days. Every day I learn something new – life is amazing – isn’t it?
Dating can be a GREAT part of divorce recovery! You might be interested in my book about Positive Divorce Recovery