Dating after divorce can bring up all kinds of emotions… hope, excitement, anxiety, even that rush to find someone new. But have you stopped to ask yourself why you really want to date?

In this episode, I’m digging into that question and walking you through the three big drivers I see come up most often after a divorce: lust, love, and loneliness. How do you know if it's a real connection or just chemistry? Are you drawn to someone because you’re genuinely ready or because being alone feels too hard right now? I’ll share tools like the slow burn test and the boring-but-beautiful checklist to help you get clear on what’s real. I’ll also talk about trauma bonds, emotional hunger, and what it actually looks like to build a relationship that feels safe, steady, and right for you. This is an invitation to get honest with yourself and to make choices that come from a place of wholeness, not urgency.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Welcome to Divorced Women Dating

01:02 Why Do You Want to Date After Divorce?

02:07 Lust vs. Love: Understanding the Chemistry Confuser

03:12 The Slow Burn Test for Lust

05:32 What Real Love Looks Like

08:54 How to Spot a Trauma Bond

12:12 The Boring but Beautiful Checklist for Healthy Love

14:21 Loneliness and Emotional Hunger

19:51 Journal Prompt: What Are You Truly Craving?

22:02 Lust Is a Spark, Love Is a Flame, Loneliness Is the Wind

Connect with Dr. Stacey Rose:

Website: www.staceyrose.com

Instagram: @theroserelationship

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