NPR: Dating Post-Vaccine

Damona Hoffman, a dating coach for the online dating site OkCupid, says that even though the desire to connect in person is there, the confidence might not be.

“People are open to dating again but they’re still a little bit cautious,” she says. “There’s still a little bit of hesitancy about just moving offline and throwing caution to the wind.”

And after more than a year of solitude and distance from others, that hesitation goes beyond trading apps for in-person dating. Some people are feeling stuck altogether.

“The fear of dating is real,” Hoffman says, “and I never want to dismiss that: not being practiced, not feeling like you’re in your best skin and able to put your best foot forward right now because we have been so isolated.”

Read the full article here…

Drew Barrymore with Damona Hoffman

Drew’s Love Bug: Live Profile Review

In this appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Damona Hoffman gives a live dating app profile review to Brooke, a flight attendant from Nashville who has not had the best of luck on dating apps.

Here’s the rundown:

Damona’s #1 dating profile rule involves the three C’s – Color, Context, and Character. Color is very important in that first photo (and in particular, the color red will always attract attention). Fill in your other photos to showcase the context of who you are, and focus on making yourself the star of your profile.

OkCupid users who complete their profiles see 200% more matches. And more matches mean more dates!

A couple of little fixes made a big difference for Brooke’s dating app profile…

Watch the full segment below to see hear Brooke’s amazing results post-polish!

 

The Mediator with Ice-T: Drama Club

On this episode of The Mediator, Damona helps Ice-T settle a disagreement between roommates Clara and Vivi.

Watch the full episode HERE to see what happens…

LA Times: Dear Damona

L.A. love coach Damona Hoffman tackles dating and relationship questions on her weekly podcast, “Dates & Mates.” Here, she shares her thoughts on some of the most topical questions from her listeners:

♡ Dear Damona: What is the best way to express to my new boyfriend that recognizing Valentine’s Day is super important to me?

♡ Dear Damona: I’m a 25-year-old female, and I met a guy on a dating app a few months ago. We’ve seen each other twice; both times, he canceled initially… My friends think I shouldn’t waste my time, but I did enjoy hanging out with him and want to give him another chance. Am I being naive?

♡ Dear Damona: I’m 24 and I’ve never kissed anyone. I’m starting to go on dates via different apps, and I’m really nervous about broaching this (and the sex topic). Do you have advice for how to bring this up? Do I even bring it up?

♡ Dear Damona: Do you think we should add a profile picture wearing a mask? I’m seeing them more and more on dating apps.

Read all of Damona’s answers HERE…

Drew’s Love Bug: How to Avoid Dating Burnout

Damona Hoffman explains to Drew and two virtual audience members why it’s so important to screen who you’re talking to before you meet up with them and waste your time.

Listen to Damona’s full explanation below!

Drew’s Love Bug: Thank and Release

In this segment of Drew’s Love Bug, Damona explains to single dater Christian why he doesn’t need to follow-up with dates that don’t work. She encourages him to use the Marie Kondo method “thank and release” – thank them for their time, and then move on.

Watch the full clip to see why this method works:

Drew’s Love Bug: Settling Down

Damona is back for Drew’s Love Bug!

She explains to Drew and single daters why some people often match online with other singles who aren’t interested in serious relationships.

PLUS, Damona shares what you can do to fix it. Check it out:

Drew’s Love Bug: Decoding Dating Apps

In this segment on The Drew Barrymore Show, Damona addresses the dating app worries of three women looking for love. Here’s a sneak peek:

🤔 Should I play it cool with my dates even though I want something serious?

🤔 If I’m the woman, how aggressively should I be in pursuing my dates?

🤔 I like to do an in-depth search on the people I date – should I dial it back? How much is too much?

 

Curious to hear Damona’s answers? Check out the full segment below…

Drew’s Love Bug: Dating Advice for Singles in Need

Damona answers burning questions from singles calling into The Drew Barrymore Show, including:

✨ How do I move forward with initiating the first call or virtual date without making it weird?

✨ How can I get back into the dating game after a recent heartbreak or rejection?

 

Curious to hear Damona’s answers? Check out the full segment below…

NYT: 4 Ways to Ring in the New Year at Home

Few will miss saying goodbye to 2020, though most people will be celebrating the start of a new, and hopefully, a better year in a more subdued way because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Your homebound New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day can still be romantic, nostalgic, and filled with traditions — old and new. Here are four creative and unexpectedly connective options to consider as you rethink your 2021 corona countdown.

Read the article here to check out Damona’s tips!

NYT: How to Revisit Your First Date

Your relationship might be sorely in need of attention. Why not recreate the special day that sparked it, with an enhancement or three?

Rebooting your romance and reigniting that spark are more important than you think, especially now. One way to reconnect with your partner is to revisit your first date. This may sound silly, but the payoff is surprisingly rewarding.

Click here to read Damona’s suggestions, along with other love experts…

Dear Damona: Dating outside your own race

L.A. love coach Damona Hoffman tackles dating and relationship questions on her weekly podcast, “Dates & Mates.” She said she receives many topical, thought-provoking relationship questions, but none has ever struck a chord with listeners like this one:

Dear Damona: Am I racist if I don’t want to date outside my race?

While being #woke is currently trending on Twitter as I write this, for the last 15 years I’ve contemplated the relationship between race and romance and coached my clients to be “race-open” when they date, because it expands our view of the world and increases your odds of meeting someone special. This practice has been met with many objections along the way.

The first objection I hear when I suggest this: “But Damona, isn’t it my choice who I date?”

Of course, you have freedom in your dating choices, yet there are systemic causes and effects to your decision that are worth examining.

Read the rest of Damona’s answer HERE!