Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman cover art

Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman

Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman

By: Damona Hoffman - Dates and Mates Media
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About this listen

 From navigating dating apps to overcoming the friendzone to seeking a soulmate, this ain’t your momma’s love advice! Hosted by the Official Love Expert of The Drew Barrymore Show and LA Times advice columnist, Damona Hoffman, Dates & Mates is jam-packed with interviews from your favorites celebs, authors, and experts. Dates & Mates is the 2022 Winner of The Best Podcast of the Year at The Black Podcasting Awards, #1 ranked love and relationship podcast by Cosmopolitan Magazine and a Top 10 Pick by HuffPost in the love category.Dear Mrs D, Inc. Personal Development Personal Success Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Master Class: 9 Dating Predictions for 2026

    Master Class: 9 Dating Predictions for 2026
    Jan 6 2026
    How many times have you swiped through endless options and come up empty? You've got matches, you've got conversations, but you don't have clarity. And clarity is what dating in 2026 is all about. In this episode, we share what the data is telling us about the future of dating and relationships. Damona isn’t making vague predictions; she shares 9 clear themes that are likely to emerge this year,grounded in research from major dating apps, relationship trends, and over 15 years of coaching singles through their love lives. We break down what "all or nothing" really means for your dating life, why effort is becoming the bare minimum, and how authenticity is actually your superpower. This is the year singles stop negotiating with maybe. Why 2026 is the year of all or nothing: clarity is replacing ambiguity How "clear-coding" your intentions upfront is replacing ghosting and emotional labor Why effort and consistency are becoming the bare minimum, not optional The surprising shift around dinner dates and what it actually signals about romance The declaration you’re likely to be making on your social media accounts Why low-volume dating with high engagement is the new strategy that actually works The biggest relationship buzzword of 2026 Track your patterns and move forward with clarity. Download the free Date Tracker at damonahoffman.com/datetracker Got a relationship question for 2026? DM @DamonaHoffman or leave a voicemail or text at 424-246-6255 *Our Instagram and Facebook accounts are currently paused so message us on TikTok, X, or YouTube, through the contact form on ⁠DamonaHoffman.com⁠, or the number above* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    48 mins
  • The Trust Test & Trauma-dump

    The Trust Test & Trauma-dump
    Dec 16 2025
    What is the magical first date zone between oversharing and playing it too cool? A listener named Brian shares: "I realize I have two dating modes. Either I dump all my emotional baggage on the first date, or I stay super chill and keep everything surface level, even when I want to go deeper. I've been hurt enough times that I just don't trust people to really be there for me anymore. How do I communicate in a healthy way without either overwhelming someone or hiding completely?" In this episode, we break down what's actually happening underneath both extremes. They're not opposites; they come from the same place. We look at the difference between throwing your pain at someone and letting them discover who you really are. Plus, we share the framework that helps you build trust gradually, without becoming either the person who overshares or the person who keeps everyone at arm's length. What You'll Hear: Both protection modes come from the same wound, but one looks like radical honesty and the other looks like walls Why your nervous system isn't your enemy, it's just doing what it learned to do after being hurt The goldilocks zone: how to start small and turn up the volume as trust builds What healthy vulnerability actually looks like in practice (it's not what you think it is) How connection points, not trauma dumps, create real intimacy on dates The power of follow-up questions and ping-pong conversation over one-way vulnerability dumps Rewriting your dating story: from "I keep getting it wrong" to "I'm learning to connect" Ready to get clarity on what's working in your dating life? Download the free Date Tracker at damonahoffman.com/datetracker to track your patterns and see where real connection starts to happen. Got a question about vulnerability, trust, or showing up authentically on dates? DM @DamonaHoffman on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, or leave a voicemail or text at 424-246-6255 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • DMs from Younger Men & Fairy Tale Reset

    DMs from Younger Men & Fairy Tale Reset
    Dec 9 2025
    You've been married for 29 years. You're newly separated at 52. Your inbox is suddenly full of men in their twenties and thirties. And you're sitting there wondering: what the heck is going on? A listener we call Confused in Coatesville shares: "I'm separated a year in the process of divorce after 29 years of marriage. I'm 52 and I'm told that I look a lot younger. On dating apps, I'm getting hit up by a lot of 30-somethings and even late twenties. I have very little interest in somebody under the age of 40, considering that I have a 30-year-old myself. How do I get matches in my age range that would have an interest in me?" In this episode, we unpack the real reasons younger men are reaching out, and what it actually means to date again after decades of marriage. What You'll Hear: Why younger men showing up in your inbox isn't random The difference between what you needed at 23 and what actually serves you now How "I look younger than my age" might be working against your dating goals Why an age gap hits different at 50 than it does at 25 The power of being strategic about which apps you use (and tracking your results) Setting boundaries with matches who aren't aligned with you…without guilt Ready to figure out what's actually working in your dating life? Download the free Date Tracker at damonahoffman.com/datetracker to start tracking where your best matches come from and what patterns are showing up for you. Got a question about dating after divorce, age gaps, or navigating the apps? DM @DamonaHoffman on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, or leave a voicemail or text at 424-246-6255 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
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