Introspective Counseling
24445 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 220
Southfield, MI 48075
(248) 242-5545

Introspective Counseling 24445 Northwestern Hwy Suite 220, Southfield, MI 48075   (248) 242-5545

The Calming Room

Dating Post-Pandemic

By Tanya R Bankston, MA, LLPC, CAADC-DP

Dating post-pandemic is a challenge, but understanding the new landscape is the first step to finding love during a pandemic. Try online therapy in Michigan with a skilled couples therapist today. Call now and get support with anxiety, trauma, and depression related to dating.
Dating post-pandemic is a challenge, but understanding the new landscape is the first step to finding love during a pandemic

As a CouplesTherapist I Recognize Dating In The Post-Pandemic Era is Hard!

Covid-19 has changed our society and how we relate with one another. Never before have those seeking love needed to consider whether their potential partners are anti-vaxxers or anti-maskers.

Glasses on table with lights. Needing support is ok! The world is different. Try online therapy in Detroit, MI for help. Or consider couples therapist with a skilled couples therapist who can give you perspective.

Navigating these sociological land mines adds new stress to the already difficult challenge of finding a romantic partner.

Let’s face it, dating is a challenging task! It doesn’t matter if you are new to the arena, returning after a breakup, the death of a spouse, or a divorce, finding Mr. or Ms. Right requires a great deal of ingenuity.

Dating is Generally Very Hard!

Whether you are using the internet to meet your potential partner, blind dating through friends/family suggestions, or just relying on old fashion luck…the scene can be scary!

There are so many things to consider including boundaries, red flag behavior (narcissism, domestic violence tendencies, etc. but that is for another post). We have to factor in expectations, past trauma, and criminal background… all these before the first date.

Navigating the romantic terrain under normal circumstances could be a minefield, and then there is Covid-19

No One Predicted This

We couldn’t prepare for it! Within a short time…the entire world shut down. This thing caught us off-guard. We learned to grapple with it one moment at a time.

People who were able to quarantine with their families had each other to lean on and support one another.

But single individuals living alone faced isolation on a different scale with limited options to reprieve from the isolation. Suddenly, there was an explosion in online dating adding to the challenge. 

So how does an individual successfully navigate the scene post-pandemic? Here are a few points to consider:

As a Couples Therapist I Challenge You to Consider What’s Your Dating “Why?”

Theater sign with sign indicating closure. Beginning online therapy in Michigan can help you understand where you are relationship to pandemic dating. If you need support begin therapy or try couples therapy for individuals today. Call now to work with a couples therapist.

People date for many reasons, love, companionship (long/short term), financial stability, to start a family, sex, and the list can go on.

When you have a clear purpose for dating, it can help you navigate to your end goal, just as a GPS can provide clear directions (most of the time) to your destination.

After all, a person seeking marriage wouldn’t date someone who has no interest in a long-term relationship, right?

Now, if your answer to that question was yes, we need to talk, but I digress. Determining your why ahead of time will reduce some of the stress of connecting post-pandemic. 

Next, understanding that finding love post-pandemic has some added nuances which did not exist before such as, “how do I meet a person while wearing a mask?” “Should I date someone who refuses to vaccinate against the coronavirus?” “What is the mask behind the mask (what is that potential partner really hiding)?”

Change is here, the world is different since the pandemic, and that includes dating.

Person making heart with hands. Pandemic dating is much more common, but what is it. Listen to some thoughts from a couples therapist in Detroit, MI who offers support for individuals and couples. See how online therapy in Michigan can support you as you navigate dating.

Get Support in Couple’s Therapy or Individual Relationship Therapy from a Couples Therapist in Detroit, MI

There is a place for you in therapy to find hope and a way to move forward. It can be a challenge, but although the dating world looks different, with support and guidance you can find a new normal in the dating pool. Our Detroit, MI counseling practice has black couples therapists who specialize in working with people of color and minorities. We know that asking for help isn’t easy. This is why we want to provide a therapy service where you feel heard and seen. Your experiences are valid. No matter where you are in your mental health journey, we will meet you where you are. To start your counseling journey, follow these simple steps: 

  1. Contact Introspective Counseling  
  2. Meet with one of our skilled couples therapist
  3. Begin balancing the demands of everyday life at a rate that supports you!

Additional Services Offered at Introspective Counseling

If you’re struggling to find your space in the dating world, know that you’re not alone. We are also going through it. Our couples therapists are here to help. Additionally, we work with women to address these issues as well as provide screening and assessment for other mood and mental health issues including postpartum depression, anxiety and perfectionism, depression, bipolar disorder and PTSD and traumamarriage counseling and couples therapytherapy for momslife transitionsgrief counselingtherapy for high achieversLGBTQIA+ counselingEMDR Therapy, and services for entrepreneurs and professionals. Additionally, we do offer services to black men, if you would prefer a black female counselor. If you believe that our approaches and values align with you, we are happy to help!