Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman

Damona dedicates this week’s episode to YOU! Whether you’re in a relationship or looking for love, she is answering your toughest Dear Damona questions, like: I feel like my partner isn’t matching my efforts. How can I get him to be more of a caretaker? I want to stay friends with my exes but I find it incredibly painful. Am I self sabotaging? I thought we had fun but they said they didn’t feel ch...

Kiaundra Jackson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, unpacks how therapy language is influencing our dating lives and shares why it’s essential to move beyond labels to truly thrive in our relationships. She also shares the telltale signs of toxic relationships. Our dear Damona question this week is: I've used them all, but none seem to be a good fit. Is it me or the apps? Ready to break free...

Take a sneak peak into a private coaching session with our listener, Staci, as Damona identifies the dating loops and myths that are keeping this single mom from experiencing the relationship she desires. Along the way, Damona shares quick tips and takeaways that you can apply right away to your own dating dilemmas. Ready to break free of your dating loops? Get Damona’s signature online program, T...

Mayday! It’s a dating burnout crisis! Damona gives a master class about the causes, the current stats, and THE FIX for the apathy and frustration that many daters are feeling today. In this episode, you will learn: The #1 secret weapon for building connection How to reclaim your power and replenish after burnout  Top tips for avoiding burnout on dating apps Insider secrets or offline dating Protec...

Damona dedicates this week’s episode to YOU! Whether you’ve listened to 12 seasons or 12 episodes, she is answering your toughest Dear Damona questions, like: I’m stuck in a first date rut. How do I turn things around to find lasting love? How do I delicately tell my match that family is important, but relationships need to be a priority too? There’s a big drinking culture where I live. How do I m...

Brenden Durell, intimacy expert on Netflix's Too Hot To Handle, guides us towards a deeper connection within with exercises that he practiced on the show and inspired by his intimacy retreat. Our Dear Damona question this week is: I find myself falling for men who either go all in or don’t give me the time of day. How can I change my pattern? Follow Brenden on Instagram @BrendenDurell and be sure...

Jeff Guenther, AKA TherapyJeff on Instagram, joins Damona in the premiere of Season 12 of Dates & Mates for a state of the date address! They cover all phases of the dating journey from clarifying what you’re seeking to first dates, defining the relationship and even planning for the dreaded breakup. The Dear Damona question this week is: What’s the best way to reach out to someone new on Link...

We all hope to feel something special on that first date, but true love takes time, and so does trust. Damona debunks The Chemistry Myth and The Soulmate Myth while offering real solutions to today’s dating troubles. Based on themes from her new book, F The Fairy Tale, this episode highlights The Goals Pillar and The Values Pillar in a conversation between Damona and love and relationship experts,...

It’s tempting to date by a list of preferred qualities and a set of prescribed rules, but these myths prevent singles from discovering more fulfilling relationships. Damona debunks The List Myth and The Rules Myth and offers real solutions to today’s common dating problems. Based on themes from her new book, F The Fairy Tale, this episode highlights The Goals Pillar and The Values Pillar in a conv...

The idea of one perfect match is attractive, but the pursuit of soulmates actually prevents singles from moving into committed relationships AND from staying when things get tough. Damona tackles The Soulmate Myth revealing how it leads to an either or mentality and outlines how to approach dating with an abundance mindset instead. Get Damona’s bestselling book “F the Fairy Tale” in ebook, audiobo...

Feeling butterflies with a match may seem like a good sign for your romantic future, but many times it's a window to the past. Damona busts The Chemistry Myth so that you can stop missing the  true markers of relationship success and stop second guessing your dating choices. Plus, she answers this spicy Dear Damona question: How fast is too fast to have sex with a new person? Get Damona’s bestsell...

Swipe apps have gamified dating but that doesn’t mean you have to play it their way! Damona dives deep into The Rules Myth with love and relationship experts Ariel Ford and Francesca Hoagie in one of her favorite panels from the F the The Fairy Tale Forum last year. Together they address how singles are hungry for shortcuts to finding love and reveal why this approach may be preventing them from m...

Do you date by a list? How’s that going for you? Damona tackles The List Myth in the second episode of the “F The Fairy Tale'' Summer Series. Plus, Damona shares some dating math to illustrate how The List Myth hurts you more than helps you…and what you should focus on instead. Get Damona’s bestselling book “F the Fairy Tale” in ebook, audiobook, and hardcover everywhere books are sold (FtheFairyT...

We are kicking off the “F The Fairy Tale” Summer Series this week with one of our most-asked questions: Online dating doesn’t work for me. How do I meet my match IRL? Plus, Damona shares dating tips for the summer and her own story of an epic summer romance with a man who went by the name of Mr. Pandemonium. Get Damona’s bestselling book “F the Fairy Tale” in ebook, audiobook, and hardcover everyw...

Jillian Turecki, certified relationship coach and host of the Jillian On Love podcast, joins us for our Dates & Mates Season 11 finale! She and Damona explore why the fantasy of "The One" captivates us, and how this desire often masks a need for personal healing and growth. We are bringing back the Romance Rollback this week with: Surprising Facts About the Evolution of Dating  Then our Dear D...

Inessa Freya, international feng shui master and spiritual psychologist, reveals how simple changes in your home can attract new romantic possibilities, improve your current relationships, and bring a sense of harmony and balance that radiates from the inside out. Plus, Damona shares why she credits Inessa for being a part of bringing Mr. Hoffman into her life! But first we have a surprising datin...

Lily Womble, host of the Date Brazen podcast, shares insights from her new book, “Thank You, More Please” so that you can navigate the dating world with eyes wide open and a little main character energy. Plus, she will share how to know when it's time for a dating detox.  The Dating Dish story this week is based on new findings from Tinder: The Green Flags Study on Assumptions & Dating Then ou...

Mat Boggs, YouTube dating coach, sets you up for your best first date yet as he covers everything from red flags and conversation topics to knowing how much time to invest in a match. The Dating Dish story this week comes from Mashable: Dating Culture Has Become Selfish. How Do We Fix It? Then our Dear Damona question this week is: An old flame invited me to their big birthday bash in Cabo. Should...

Dr. Alexandra Solomon, couples therapist and author, lays a foundational framework to deepen connection and self-understanding in her new book “Love Every Day: 365 Relational Self-Awareness Practices to Help Your Relationship Heal, Grow and Thrive.” In this episode, she will share specific exercises and prompts to get you thinking about love differently. The Dating Dish story this week comes to yo...

Kara Loewentheil, Master Certified Life Coach, applies an analytical, feminist lens towards understanding our current dating culture and how our old stories may be affecting our decisions in love. The Dating Dish story this week is based on a national study conducted by Whirlpool: Spring Clean Your Dating Profile: A Surprising Social Experiment Uncovers What Singles Prioritize Most  Then our Dear...

Sara Jane Ho, etiquette expert and host of Netflix’s Mind Your Manners, joins to share the definitive etiquette rules for dating, talking, and texting inspired by her new book. The Dating Dish story this week comes from CNN:  Bumble no longer requires women to make the first move!  Then our Dear Damona question this week is: My match and I are traveling farther than normal to meet. Does that mean...

Dr. Scott Lyons, host of The Gently Used Human podcast, talks about his new book, “ Addicted to Drama: Healing Dependency on Crisis & Chaos In Yourself & Other s”. This week’s Dating Dish is: HuffPost shares the reasons why we try to “fix” our matches…and what you should probably do instead. Then our Dear Damona question this week is: How can I attract more culturally open matches? Follow...

In this all-Dear Damona episode, Damona takes on dating burnout and swipe fatigue by answering your questions, like: Is it a bad sign if my Bumble match is taking more than 3 days to reply? How do I manage expectations with new partners? How do I attract partners that are more financially and emotionally stable?  And, is it more difficult to find love after 50? Share the love: Get your copy of F t...

Psychic Matchmaker Deborah Graham teaches singles to dial into their own psychic intuition. Plus, she shares her experiences as a psychic matchmaker, and her own story of being intuitively matched as well. Then, she gives a jaw-dropping live, on-air love reading. The Dating Dish this week is: Beware of Digital Body Language while you’re online dating. The Dear Damona questionis: What signs indicat...

Fan favorite guest Mark Groves is back! This time he’s joined by his wife Kylie McBeath, to discuss their amazing new book Liberated Love: Release Codependent Patterns and Create the Love You Desire. In this interview they get to the root of codependency and offer ways to heal trauma and date intentionally. The dating dish story is: The Downside of Are We Dating the Same Guy Facebook groups. In De...