Dating, Relationships, and Disability

Grab your favorite beverage, get comfy, because today's topic is all about dating and why having a game plan for the new year can be a game-changer in your quest for meaningful connections. So, let's dive right in. The new year is upon us, and with it comes the perfect opportunity for a fresh start, especially when it comes to our dating lives. Now, I get it, the whole resolution thing might seem...

We're talking about dating and relationships, but with a special focus on why it's a quality of life issue for people with disabilities. Love and connection have a profound impact on our health, happiness, and attitude, and today, we're breaking it all down. Now, let's kick things off with the big question: Why is dating and relationships so important for people with disabilities? Well, the answer...

Why a Dating Curriculum? We have quite a few terrific curriculums out there teaching people with disabilities about sexuality and sexual rights. But as I always say, what about dating?? I know much of my podcast and resources are geared toward people with disabilities who want to date. However, I often work with professionals in disability services raising the issue of dating and providing trainin...

In the complex world of dating, our judgments and attitudes can significantly impact the dynamics of our relationships. Whether it's societal expectations, personal biases, or the influence of stereotypes, understanding and managing these factors is key to building healthy connections. Dating is already a complex journey, but for those with disabilities, it often comes with an added layer of chall...

It's crucial when you are fostering a healthy sense of sexuality and relationships, that you reflect on where you're at by beginning to ask these questions: When you think of being in a relationship, what do you envision? How do you want the other person to treat you? Why do want to be in relationship? What needs and desires are you hoping it will fulfill? What are your fears about being in relati...

I have done several podcasts about the power of beliefs when it comes to dating. Actually when I think about the work I do in dating and relationships, it’s really all about mindset. Transforming my own beliefs from someone who people would reject in the dating scene to someone who knew the value of what I could offer to a relationship was the key for me in finding lasting love. I often think if I...

Bear with me for a minute on this one so that I can properly explain this. A Love for Grocery Shopping Wanna know a weird fact about me? I LOVE grocery shopping! Yes, I know many people dread this unavoidable task. Not me, though! Being the foodie I am, it’s a weekly journey to Mecca for me. Being Seen and Judged It’s also a common place to see and be seen by many other people. When we are seen by...

We have an important topic to discuss: the significance of saying no to sexual ableism in dating and relationships, especially for people with disabilities. Understanding Sexual Ableism Let's start by defining sexual ableism. What is it, and how does it manifest in the context of dating and relationships? Sexual ableism is the discrimination and bias that people with disabilities face concerning t...

Do you sometimes read online advice articles and think, "Well, I didn’t learn anything new?" I often feel that way about articles offering dating advice, and many times, the articles don’t speak to the particular challenges of dating with a disability. Today, I’m taking some nuggets from an article, "How to Be Better at Online Dating According to Psychology," and offering a twist to them if you li...

"I don't feel attractive." If you haven’t said that at some point in your life, I think you’re in a very small and fortunate group. Most of us have grappled with this feeling, which is really a belief, at some point in our lives, especially when it comes to dating. While we are certainly working on changing this on both an individual and collective level in the Disabled community, we can still mak...

Dateability has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, and National Public Radio to name a few. Our Mission Dateability is the only dating app designed for the disabled and chronically ill communities. Here's a description from their website: People with disabilities and chronic illness often encounter ableism on other dating apps. We understand the unique circumstances that present when...

Try Dating Made Easier for 14 days for just $7 . According to the Googles, “Skin in the game” is a phrase made popular by renowned investor Warren Buffett referring to a situation in which high-ranking insiders use their own money to buy stock in the company they are running. The saying is particularly common in business, finance, and gambling and is also used in politics. And I would add personal...

If you have been listening to me, even for just a tiny bit, you know I often say dating is very hard and then I quickly follow that up with but totally possible. However, I may not have added that latter part when I was in the throes of dating. Whether I was or wasn’t doing online dating, I actually did not know if I would be able to experience dating success. For me, success in dating meant findi...

Recently, a podcast listener asked me this: May I ask, what were you doing at 23 socially and what do you wish you knew then? My Social Life at 23 Ummm…I had to think about it for a few days. I told him it was a great question and my longer answer would make for a great podcast. Here’s what I told him: What I Was Doing in My Early 20s At age 23, I was living with a roommate of mine from college. W...

First, how do you feel about the word interabled? Let me know at kathy@radiantabilities.com. You see, 1-in-4 U.S. adults – or about 61 million Americans – have a disability according to the CDC. With mental illness and invisible disabilities on the rise, the statistics of people living with disabilities are probably greater. If you’re out there dating, the likelihood of having a partner with a dis...

September is often considered the other new year because nearly all of us have it ingrained within us that we begin new things in the fall from our school days. I recently heard this time of year is the most productive time for people. So why not take advantage of it in your dating life? Four things to consider to help you gain more success in dating: 1. Decide to do things differently this year I...

If you have been listening to the past couple episodes, you know we’ve been in a theme of looking at dating from a problem solving lens. Approaching dating with problem-solving skills can be a practical and thoughtful way to navigate the complexities of trying to put yourself out there, take risks, and manage the vulnerabilities that are inherent in dating. Adaptability: Just like solving a proble...

Last episode we covered what to do when you’re experiencing dating burnout. I offered several strategies for what to do when you’re frustrated to the point of not feeling inspired at all to continue pursuits to find your person. Today, I want to offer you some tactical strategies to try if you’re saying, yes, I’m frustrated, but I’m still all in, I want to figure this out. Approaching dating with...

***Register  here  for a free workshop on  Exactly HOW Do I Make Dating Easier?  to learn three simple but actionable steps to make dating easier for you and get the results you want.*** Today we're diving into a topic that many of us can relate to – the burnout that can come from trying to navigate the world of dating. We've all been there, swiping left and right, going on cou...

***Register  here  for a free workshop on  Exactly HOW Do I Make Dating Easier?  to learn three simple but actionable steps to make dating easier for you and get the results you want.*** Believe. Trust. Risk. Those are my recommendations as you go out into the world and hopefully begin a.creating the life you want. Believe. Trust. Risk. These three factors are needed to be effe...

***Register here  for a free workshop on Exactly HOW Do I Make Dating Easier? to learn three simple but actionable steps to make dating easier for you and get the results you want.*** We continue to conversation with Pauline Bosma and Oscar Hughes of the Rainbow Support Group. We talk about what true acceptance looks like for someone in the LGBTQ community. Pauline shares about her story of l...

Pauline Bosma is the founder and coordinator of the Rainbow Support Groups, a network of support groups for LGBTQ+ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Pauline works for Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong, where she also leads sex education webinars and trains people with disabilities to respond to and report abuse. Oscar Hughes is a PhD student in special education at Bos...

We’re nearing the end of Disability Pride Month and I have to share an experience I had in trying to celebrate it. Unfortunately, it points to misperceptions about how people define Disability Pride. The definition I use is as follows: Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July and is an opportunity to honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. It...

Body shame is one the hardest things that impacts dating with a disability. People REALLY don’t like to talk about it. There’s a particular type of body shame for people with disabilities. It involves feeling negative about yourself that is then connected to shame about how your disability affects your mind and body. How Body Shame Manifests Body shame is a belief that there is something inherentl...

Did you know the month of July, which is when this publishes is Disability Pride month? Disability Pride Month is intended to honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. I would like to do this through the lens of  dating and relationships for people with disabilities. As we celebrate Disability Pride Month this July, it's essential to recognize th...