EP19 What I Wish I Knew Before I Started Dating (Post-Divorce)

EP19 What I Wish I Knew Before I Started Dating (Post-Divorce)

Nobody handed Dr. Stacey Rose a rulebook when her marriage ended. She learned as she went, and now she is sharing what she wishes someone had told her.   If you are newly divorced and thinking about getting back out there, this episode is your starting point. Dating after divorce for women is not the same experience it was before marriage. The apps are new, your life is fuller and more complicated, and you are a different person than you were when you first partnered up. On this episode of Divorced Women Dating, Dr. Stacey walks through the eight things she wishes someone had told her before she started dating again.   It starts with an important distinction. Healing and readiness are not the same thing. You can be doing the work in therapy and still not be in a place where dating is going to serve you. Readiness comes from feeling whole, not from deciding you have waited long enough.   From there, she gets into the stuff that is easy to know intellectually and hard to actually do. Questioning your type. Recognizing that dating is not an audition. Paying attention to dating red flags after divorce even when everything else about a date is going well. Setting boundaries when dating after divorce in ways that protect you without shutting people out.   She also covers what to know before dating after divorce on the emotional side. Being triggered is normal. Not every connection is meant to go the distance, and that is okay.   Dating after divorce for women is not about finding someone to fill a gap. It is about finding someone who aligns with who you are today. Dr. Stacey shows you how to start dating again after divorce with that clarity already in place.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 What Dr. Stacey Wishes She Knew Before Dating After Divorce 00:51 Dating After Divorce for Women Is Nothing Like Dating Before Marriage 03:08 Rebuilding Your Confidence and Your Social Life Post-Divorce 05:18 Healing Is Not the Same as Being Ready to Date 06:30 Why You Should Stop Dating Your Type 07:42 Dating Is Not an Audition — Stop Trying to Prove Your Worth 09:00 How to Spot Red Flags When Dating After Divorce 10:06 Setting Boundaries When Dating After Divorce 11:30 Why Being Triggered While Dating Is Completely Normal 12:19 Not Every Connection Is Meant to Last 13:45 The Real Goal of Dating After Divorce Connect with Dr. Stacey Rose:  Website: www.staceyrose.com [http://www.staceyrose.com] Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm [http://hivecast.fm]

EP18: Are You Dating from Survival or Self Worth?

Dating after divorce can feel confusing and exhausting, especially when you’re trying to do everything “right.” If dating feels rushed, draining, or simply misaligned, there is often a deeper reason.   In this episode of Divorced Women Dating, I explore how survival mode often shapes dating choices after divorce, and why dating from self-worth feels completely different. Many women overlook red flags, chase potential, or stay in situations that don’t feel right, not because they lack awareness or confidence, but because their nervous system is still focused on protection.   I unpack the difference between survival-based dating and self-worth-based dating, and how making that shift brings more clarity, calm, and consistency. I also address common fears around being alone or being labeled “too picky,” reframing standards as a sign of self-respect rather than rigidity.   If you want dating to feel steadier, clearer, and grounded in who you truly are, this episode will help you reconnect with your instincts and trust yourself again.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Dating After Divorce: Survival vs Self Worth   05:40 Survival Mode After Divorce and Its Impact on Dating   12:30 Red Flags and Choosing Potential in Survival Dating   19:45 Shifting from Survival Dating to Self Worth   28:30 Self Worth and Self Respect in Dating   38:40 Why Consistency and Peace Matter More Than Charm   48:10 Fear of Being Alone and Dating Standards   56:30 How Self Worth Changes Dating After Divorce   59:20 Journal Prompt: Survival vs Self Worth Connect with Dr. Stacey Rose:  Visit Dr. Stacey’s website [http://www.staceyrose.com] Follow Dr. Stacey on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/staceyrose.com_] Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm [http://hivecast.fm]

EP17: Reclaim Yourself After Your Divorce

Divorce can leave you unsure of who you are once the roles you lived in for years fall away. In this episode, I talk about why it matters to pause and reclaim yourself before stepping back into dating. Why do so many of us move on quickly and still end up repeating familiar patterns? What changes when you stop looking for someone else to steady you?   I share how survival habits from marriage and divorce often follow us into dating without us noticing. Fear of being alone can push us to ignore what feels off or move faster than we are ready for. Reclaiming yourself starts with listening to your gut, taking responsibility for your emotional life, and learning to feel okay in your own company. From there, dating feels steadier and more intentional, and relationships begin to add to your life rather than fill something that feels missing.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Losing Yourself After Divorce and How It Affects Dating 02:35 Divorce, Identity Loss, and Preparing for Dating Again 04:30 Reclaiming Yourself Without Reinventing Who You Are 06:55 Survival Mode After Divorce and Dating Patterns 09:45 Listening to Your Gut and Taking Emotional Responsibility 11:50 Why Dating Feels Urgent When You Haven’t Reclaimed Yourself 13:55 Dating From Wholeness Instead of Waiting to Be Chosen 15:55 Why Being Rescued Is Not the Goal in Dating 17:05 Reclaiming Standards and Walking Away Without Guilt 18:30 Wanting Love Without Sacrificing Yourself Connect with Dr. Stacey Rose:  Visit Dr. Stacey’s website [http://www.staceyrose.com] Follow Dr. Stacey on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/staceyrose.com_] Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm [http://hivecast.fm]

EP16: Rebuilding Your Relationship with YOU Before Dating Again

If dating after divorce feels urgent, I want you to pause and ask whether it’s time to rebuild your relationship with yourself first. In this episode, I challenge the idea that readiness is about timing and invite you to look instead at whether you feel grounded, steady, and able to trust your own instincts before stepping back into dating.   I talk about how divorce can quietly disrupt self-trust and lead many women to seek reassurance through dating rather than from within. I also share clear signs you may not be ready yet, along with practical ways to rebuild connection with yourself so dating feels calmer, clearer, and far more intentional.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Dating After Divorce: Why You Need to Rebuild Your Relationship With Yourself 03:45 Dating After Divorce: How to Know If You Are Really Ready 08:30 Healthy Dating After Divorce Starts With Self-Trust 14:50 How Divorce Impacts Self-Esteem and Self-Worth 23:40 Rebuilding Self-Trust and Learning to Trust Yourself Again 32:15 Signs You Are Not Ready to Start Dating After Divorce 42:20 How to Rebuild Your Relationship With Yourself Before Dating 54:10 A Journal Prompt to Clarify What You Want From Dating 58:30 Dating After Divorce as a Continuation of Self-Healing Connect with Dr. Stacey Rose:  Visit Dr. Stacey’s website [http://www.staceyrose.com] Follow Dr. Stacey on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/staceyrose.com_] Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm [http://hivecast.fm]

EP15: What You Should and Shouldn’t Tolerate in Dating After Divorce

Why do we tolerate things in relationships that leave us feeling uneasy or diminished, and when does acceptance quietly turn into self betrayal? In this episode, I talk about how toleration often reflects where we are emotionally, especially after divorce, and why growth changes what we are willing to accept. I also talk about the difference between healthy compromise and harmful toleration, and how repeated self override can slowly erode self trust.   I break this down into three clear levels of toleration to help you get grounded. We look at what is non-negotiable, how core preferences shape compatibility, and where growth flexibility can exist without sacrificing your values. Along the way, I invite you to reflect on what you have tolerated in the past and what you may still be tolerating now. At the heart of this episode is reclaiming self-respect, ending betrayal of the self, and choosing relationships that truly support who you are becoming.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why We Tolerate Painful Relationship Patterns 02:21 Recalculating After Divorce and Getting Grounded 04:47 Letting Go of Judgment and Honoring Personal Growth 06:50 Compromise Versus Self Betrayal in Relationships 08:55 Non-Negotiables and What You Should Never Tolerate 11:30 Core Preferences and Compatibility in Dating 13:52 Growth Flexibility Without Betraying Yourself 16:14 The Three Levels of Toleration Explained 18:19 When Toleration Ends and Change Becomes Necessary Connect with Dr. Stacey Rose:  Visit Dr. Stacey’s website [http://www.staceyrose.com] Follow Dr. Stacey on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/staceyrose.com_] Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm [http://hivecast.fm]