Dating a divorced man means his former marriage, ex, and family dynamics may come with him. But those complications do not automatically mean he is unavailable. These three green flags show whether he has actually healed, knows what he wants, and can build a serious relationship…
Desire does not disappear after 50. But your body, confidence, and needs may change. This candid guide covers menopause, libido, body image, erectile dysfunction, sexual health, and the conversations that make intimacy better. If you are ready to stop treating this part of life…
I have coached daters for over 20 years, and one theme keeps getting louder every year. Younger men (and of course older men) are actively seeking out older women, and it is a real, growing part of the dating world. If you are a woman over 50 wondering whether you still have…
You matched on a dating app, or maybe a friend set you up, and the first date felt promising enough to keep going. For a minute, you let yourself hope this could be it. Then a few weeks in, something feels off. You can't quite name it, but the excitement fades faster than it…
The dating game after 50 comes with a lot of unwritten rules. The biggest one? The third date is when sex is supposed to happen. Maybe you followed that rule. Maybe you walked away from a promising new relationship wondering why romantic relationships that felt so real suddenly…
If you've spent more than ten minutes on online dating apps, you may have asked yourself: "Are there any emotionally healthy people on here at all?" Fair question. Because sometimes dating apps can feel like a strange social experiment where 1 person wants a soulmate, another…
The number one concern I hear from many daters is: there are not enough eligible people where I live. My heart goes out to you. It's enough to make you give up altogether. On the other hand, I meet happy couples every day who started (or even remained) in a long-distance…
Most of us don't miss the red flags. We see them. We just talk ourselves out of what we saw. I've been helping women in the dating pool for over 20 years, and I will tell you with total certainty: the problem is rarely that you're oblivious. The problem is that you're hopeful.…
You know the feeling. You've spent hours on your profile. You answered the prompts, picked a few photos, filled in the basics, and hit "publish." Then... crickets. Or worse, messages from men who seem like they wandered in from a different planet. Here's what I want you to know:…
Here's a story I've heard a hundred times. A woman finally gets out of an unhappy marriage. She promises herself: this time, things will be different. She gets back in the dating game, meets someone new, and then, slowly, a familiar feeling creeps in. Same fights. Same dynamic.…
How many dates in before you realize you've stopped looking at other profiles? In today’s Love at Any Age episode, I’m addressing the "are we exclusive" talk. I know it's scary. I cover how the early assumption of monogamy is costing you, how to know if you’re ready for it, and…
Let me be honest with you about online dating. Most women over 50 approach it like a chore they've been assigned, at best. They download an app, spend ten minutes on a profile, upload a photo from three years ago, and wait to see what happens. Then they come to me completely…
Is your hoo-ha writing a check that your heart and head can't cover? In today's Love at Any Age episode, I sit down with dating coach and matchmaker Donna Barnes to hand you an actual checklist: 6 questions you need to be able to answer before sex belongs in your relationship.…
I've helped hundreds of women through this exact moment: standing at the edge of the dating pool, wondering whether the water is too cold, whether anyone will even be there, whether you are somehow too late.
"Three dates in, you like him... so why are you avoiding the exact conversations that would tell you if he's actually right for you?" In today's Love at Any Age episode, I'm breaking down the 3 biggest third-date mistakes I see smart people make over and over, plus the exact…
In my family, there is a famous story about my grandmother Sylvia, who came to the US from Poland in the 1930s. Sylvia was notoriously skeptical, untrusting, and frugal. She could spend hours in a store examining potential purchases and still leave with nothing. No decision came…
If you've been in the dating pool for any amount of time, especially in your later years, you already know this: People lie. Not always in big, dramatic, scammy ways. Not always with bad intentions. But in small, strategic, sometimes unconscious ways that can derail your chance…
Dating over 50 can feel like stepping into a whole new world. And not the cute "new adventure" kind of way. More like: Wait, what is this? Why does everything feel harder?
As a dating coach, I hear it constantly. "Men just want someone younger." "Older men just want sex." "The older guys on dating sites just want a caretaker." I get why women believe this. The dating world can feel brutal, especially after a long marriage or years on your own. But…
If you've been staring at your divorce papers, wondering whether your window for love has closed, I have someone I want you to meet. I recently sat down with Lauren Handel Zander. She's the creator of the Handel Method, my former boss, my mentor, and the woman whose framework…
One of the biggest mistakes women make when they first get back into dating, especially after a divorce or a long dry spell, is having sex on the 1st date, the 2nd date, or following the famous "third date rule" on the long-awaited 3rd date. I’m not judging you. I understand it.
I hear this every week. “Laurie, where are the good men?” "I can't seem to find any." "I don't think there are any good ones left." "All the good ones are taken." "I've been on the dating apps, and there are none there. Where are they?"
I am going to say the thing most women over 50 are thinking but not saying out loud: I am not sure I can have a great sex life anymore. Maybe you have quietly decided that the chapter is closed. Maybe the physical changes, the low libido, the vaginal dryness, the hot flashes,…
I had a small breakdown recently. Not a dramatic one. Don't worry. But I was struggling. A client sent me his dating app profile, and the second I read it, I knew. ChatGPT wrote it. Not him. And something in me cracked.
What men say—over and over—is that women tend to speak in signals instead of just asking directly for what they want. And here’s the uncomfortable truth: most women aren’t doing that on purpose. They’re doing it because they don’t actually know what they want yet.
Chemistry is intoxicating. It feels like a sign. But it might be the thing that's costing you the most time. "Am I falling for the right person, or am I just finally feeling wanted again?"
Romantic rejection is part of life. It always has been. But that doesn’t mean rejection hurts less just because you’re older or wiser. What changes after 50 is the emotional reaction it can trigger and the meaning we sometimes attach to it.
First of all, there is no ONE “the one.” Second of all, this notion that your "one" got away, whether because: He picked someone else You picked someone else He had an insurmountable issue He died As a relationship coach, I can tell you: It just isn’t true.
One of the biggest reasons women grow tired of online dating is simple: it can feel like a waste of time. Based on years of work as a dating coach, I can tell you this: only a portion of the people on dating apps are genuinely ready for a committed relationship or a long-term…
If you’re dating again after 50, the first thing to remember is this: chemistry is not the only thing that matters. You can have a good time, enjoy the small talk, even feel sparks on a first date, and still end up with a partner who is all wrong for the kind of life you…
If you’re over 50 and spending any time in today’s dating scene—or even just warming up to the idea of dating again—I want to talk about something most people would rather avoid. I want to talk about what doesn’t work.
If you’re back in the dating world after 50, you already know what’s changed. There are more options, more confusion, more false starts, and more ways to lose time with someone who was never really right for you. What I want for you instead is clarity. Not eventually. Not after…
If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t even know what I want anymore,” you’re not alone. That moment usually comes after a lot of heartbreaks, compromises, and the quiet realization that your love life didn’t turn out the way you once imagined.
If dating feels like the same movie playing over and over—same type of person, same disappointment, same ending—you’re not imagining it. And no, this is not because you’re “bad at dating.” It’s not because the dating pool dried up. It’s not because you waited too long. What’s…
If you keep dating the same types of men… It’s not because you’re “bad at dating.” Even if you're in midlife or beyond, you haven't "missed your window." And as I say in my podcast "Love at Any Age", love has no expiration date.
If finding love (or getting back out there) is going to make your New Year’s resolution list, this is your perfect moment. The holiday season will soon be over, and everyone’s in that new beginnings mindset. Are you ready?
If you’re over 50 and thinking about dating again—whether it’s been a few months, or a few decades, or since your last heartbreak—it’s time to get intentional. No more winging it, hoping for chemistry, or letting the dating apps decide your fate. You get to do this your way:…
If you’re dating over 50 and wondering why it feels harder than ever to find your person, you’re not imagining it. The dating landscape has changed — and so have we. You’ve lived, loved, raised kids, maybe divorced, maybe lost a partner. You’ve learned a lot about yourself. But…
In this season of thanks-giving, I am going to lay out an unpopular opinion: Every choice in love you’ve made in the past has been in your best interest! "What, Laurie?" You must be asking yourself if I’ve gone off the deep end.
If you’ve dipped your toe into the modern world of dating apps, you’ve probably noticed they all have one thing in common — you have to work them if you want them to work for you.
Two of my three kids are grown, so I think I can safely say now that I wish they had taken a gap year between high school and college, or during college. At least they studied abroad. The amount of worldly knowledge and independence they gained from studying abroad got me…
For every woman in the 50+ age group who responds to one of my articles, hopeful about dating again, an equal number write back with a heavy sigh: “Never again. I’m done.”
I get this a lot as a dating coach: Women send me their online dating profile to analyze—as if I could tell them whether it’s “good” or “bad” without knowing them first. That’s not how it works.
Once women are done complaining to me about how older men are only looking for younger women, they turn around and complain that they’ll end up being an older man’s nurse, purse, or, dreadfully, both!
If you’re a woman in later years looking for a mature man around your own age, there are some things you should expect. This list isn't meant to scare you—it’s to help you experience the dating scene with greater ease. First off, they might help you feel less crazy, because if…
If you met online, your first date should not be a glass of wine at a noisy bar. It should be a video call. Full stop. I know, I know. It’s not the fantasy. But we’re grown-ups now. With real-time energy levels, complicated schedules, and no time (or patience) for last-minute…
You finally open up the dating app, and there it is—the blank box next to "What makes you unique?" You freeze. Is this the best place to share your love of New York bagels? Is it too soon to mention your three divorces and obsession with Candy Crush?
“Older men only want younger women.” 🙄 We’ve all heard it—but is it really the truth, or just a prevalent belief that holds people back from finding love? In this candid conversation, Dating Coach & Relationship Expert Laurie Gerber takes a closer and no-holds-barred look at…
According to Journal of Sex Research, 67% of heterosexual women admit to occasionally faking orgasms. And just remember, that’s the number that’s admitting it! Here’s another fun statistic. Only 20 percent of men think their partners might fake their orgasms…
When you first spot someone on a dating app and your interest is piqued, the next big step is kicking off some fun, flirty banter. Since they can’t read your body language, your online banter has to carry all the weight of making that initial spark happen.
Have you ever found yourself at the end of an exhausting fight shocked that, after investing in someone feeling loved, they felt, well, just the opposite?
If you’ve ever secretly Googled “Am I undateable?”—first of all, hi, welcome, you’re in good company. Second, the fact that you’re asking that question probably means you’re not. Truly. Single women who are reflective, curious, and willing to assess their love life honestly are…
As a relationship expert, my mission is to help you stop wasting time on dead-end dates and find someone who’s a good match for you for long-term love. By "good match," I mean you are "in sync" on all 3H's: your head, your heart, and your hoo-ha.
“Is it me?” That’s the question many women ask when ED (erectile dysfunction) shows up in the bedroom—whether they've been with a partner for decades or are just starting a new relationship.
When you think about dating, one of your major concerns might be about sex. In fact, sex is what differentiates a long-term love partner from just another friend. As a dating coach, I want to give you the best chance at healthy, lasting love, and that means giving you the…
If you’ve ever slumped onto your couch after a dating app session feeling drained, disheartened, or downright numb, you’re not alone. Dating app fatigue is real, especially for women over 50 looking for a meaningful relationship.
Dating apps and dating sites can open up a world of possibilities, even after 50—but only if you know how to use them wisely. As a dating coach, I see the same worst dating profile mistakes over and over again, especially from attractive women who should be having a good time…
So, you aren’t attracted at first, but you’re lonely, and you are looking for the love of your life! And maybe you haven't made such good choices in the past when you picked based on what you were attracted to, so….
Dating after divorce can feel like stepping into a strange new world—especially if you’ve been out of the dating game for a long time. You might feel like the dating pool has changed, the rules are unclear, and your comfort zone is nowhere to be found. But here's good news: not…
If you're a mature woman trying to make sense of modern dating, you’ve probably asked yourself: What do men actually want? Are they after “just sex,” younger women (only), a casual fling, a committed relationship, or none of the above? Do older women actually know what men…
If you’re an older woman trying to find a romantic relationship in the real world, you’re not alone. I’ve worked with thousands of single women over 50, and I hear this all the time: “I’m tired of online dating apps. I want to meet a great guy in real life.” The kids call it…
Ever wondered what it’s really like behind the scenes of a professional matchmaking service? I recently sat down with Jill Dunn, a seasoned matchmaker with years of experience helping single men and women find long-term relationships.
The dating world has evolved. We’re swiping, chatting through mobile apps, and scanning dating profiles like pros. It can feel overwhelming at times—but here’s the good news: there are plenty of quality dating services out there filled with potential matches looking for…
In this episode of Saddle Up Live, host Lesa Koski interviews relationship expert Laurie Gerber about maintaining intimacy and connection in long-term marriages. Laurie, who has been featured on shows like Dr. Phil and MTV, shares her personal journey of realizing the importance…
I have been coaching people for 20 years on how to date effectively, based on Handel Group™’s awesome methodology. I've taught countless clients how to maximize the utility, intimacy, and fun of the first 3 dates, with great questions…
There are dating services offering "meaningful connections," platforms for casual relationships, and apps boasting compatibility scores and in-depth personality tests. Some are free, others want your credit card before you even send a first message.
If you’re post-menopausal and dating (or thinking about dating), I want you to know: you are not alone, you are not too old, too dry, too rusty, and you are not done. So many women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond are re-entering the dating world and wondering with regards to sex……
What do women really think men want in bed — and do they have it all wrong? Dating Coach & Relationship Expert Laurie Gerber reveals the top misconceptions women have about what turns men on — and how these assumptions can sabotage intimacy, connection, and confidence in the…
My sense of priorities in relationships has changed over the course of coaching. I had to reexamine my values because what I was valuing when I came to coaching wasn’t giving me the relationship I really wanted…
As a relationship expert, I have been studying dating over 50 for the last 20 years, and I have made an important discovery. The good news is that the biggest mistakes women make in dating can be avoided.
One moment you're excited about a potential partner, and the next, you’re wondering if you just wasted a lot of time. Welcome to the dating game! What a ride.
The 3rd date is a significant milestone, it assumes you are really interested in each other and attracted– but you need to know some very important things in order to take it further.
A couple of weeks ago we discussed the most common 1st date mistakes, if you missed it, here’s the link. This week, I want to warn you about the 2nd date pitfalls!
Good news, everyone is making the same mistakes and they are fixable. To save you boredom, frustration and heartache, don’t make these FIRST DATE mistakes:
The biggest mistake women make in midlife dating is staying for a long time with the wrong person. If you’re lonely, you are susceptible to picking badly, and then staying put, hoping it will turn into a successful relationship if you’re patient or work hard enough to fix him.
How to Keep Love Alive—Or Find It Again—After 50. In this episode, we talk about how to stop repeating old patterns, how to use Laurie’s “Three H’s” (Head, Heart, and Hoo-Ha) to evaluate love interests, and how to keep connection alive in long-term relationships. Whether you're…
Bad dates are the worst. We've all been on crappy dates and been wondering the whole time, when will this be over? I want to save you from ever going on a bad date again with some top tips for the first three, which are the most important!
You may think it seems shallow to care about being attractive. But it is the most important element that determines whether or not you will find a love match.
Did you know? You are teaching someone how to treat you from the very first interaction. If you are wondering why someone treats you a particular way, think back to the behaviors you ignored or didn’t speak up about at the beginning.
Are you so resigned about dating that you’re asking yourself if it’s even worth it? I get it. A lot of women who come to me are exhausted by past relationships, overwhelmed by careers, families, and the true time suck of swiping left and right on online dating sites.
The myth that older men only want to date younger women is understandably upsetting to older women. But, just because you’ve heard it a hundred times (or have seen it play out on social media and in bad rom-coms) doesn’t mean it’s a universal truth.
Do you really know what “your type” is? If you’re dating over 50, your “true type” might have significantly changed from your younger days. What are you really looking for now in a partner? Dating Coach and Relationship Expert Laurie Gerber explains why discovering your true…
How to Keep Love Alive—Or Find It Again—After 50. In this episode, we talk about how to stop repeating old patterns, how to use Laurie’s “Three H’s” (Head, Heart, and Hoo-Ha) to evaluate love interests, and how to keep connection alive in long-term relationships. Whether you're…
Shot At Love host Kerry Brett and Laurie Gerber get candid about lies of omission, outright misrepresentation, self-worth, and the limiting beliefs that make honesty feel risky in dating and relationships.
Modern dating can be confusing and exhausting but it doesn’t have to be this way. In this episode of Too Young To Be Old, Diane dives into the world of dating after 50 with Laurie Gerber, relationship coach and former resident love expert at Match.com. Laurie shares the message…
Wondering if there's an age limit to love and intimacy? Navigating relationships after 50 can feel unfamiliar and challenging. Finding love and connection in later years, including identifying compatible partners and maintaining open communication, comes with challenges. It…
It’s not marriage…but, deciding to get committed is a big step! You’re taking yourself off the market and that is a real risk. So, make sure you’ve done your homework!
If you are looking for New Year’s resolutions for your love life, take this quiz! Are you showing up the way you want to show up? If not, this quiz will give you some very good ideas for improvement.
Are you in the market for a gift for yourself or a loved one who is looking for love? There could not be a better time than now to purchase a digital course as a gift.
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that their partner needs to be the same as them–similar interests, similar finances, family situation and maybe even the SAME in some areas like: level of education, race, politics, religion…
One of the top 3 things couples fight about is: division of labor in the household! Successful couples uncover invisible labor, and acknowledge and appreciate it--and might choose to change some of the assigned responsibilities.
Do you ever end up dating someone longer than you should? Do you watch your friends TRY to make it work only to entangle themselves with not-the-one for ages?
Everyone makes the same mistakes with their profiles! Yes, there is a right way to design your online dating profile to make your dating experience more fun and effective…
It’s a mistake to think there is monogamy in a dating relationship if it hasn’t been specifically agreed upon. If you are in my Master the Art of Love program you know that there are stages of dating and specific things you need to address at each stage.
You should know this much if you've been following me for a while: Your partner has to be satisfying the needs of your HEAD, HEART AND HOO-HA in order for you to be/stay happy in love..
When I first tried to stop my bad habit of interrupting, it was VERY hard! I knew it didn’t help my relationship and was considered socially wrong, but I didn’t find I had the willpower to stop…
Vacations are something many of us eagerly look forward to, but they can bring a great deal of stress and disappointment. This summer I want you to nerd out in your planning, like I do, to ensure you get what you want and everyone else is happy too!
Quick, without thinking hard, name the top three fights you always have with your partner. My husband and I fight about money. I am more nervous and controlling, he is more trusting and generous. We fight when we’re hosting guests. Again, he thinks everything will turn out fine.…
A lot of you picked for the wrong reasons. Maybe the person satisfied one, or two, but not all three, and you thought you couldn’t have it all. But maybe you still can–with a little bit of work!
Sometimes your inability to get over someone reaches the level of an addiction, which means you feel like you have no control over what your head is busy thinking about. How do you know you’re addicted?
Last week, I told you I’d explain how my sense of priorities in relationship changed over the course of coaching. I had to reexamine my values because what I was valuing when I came to coaching wasn’t giving me the relationship I really wanted…
The only reason I ever shaped up in my marriage is because I realized I was going to lose it. Turns out I needed to do way less, and listen way more. When I do, the results are profound…