A DATING workshop aims to help people “gain some confidence” and meet new friends after two years of lockdowns.
The one-day workshop at the Unity Centre in Lewes, run by holistic therapist Fraya Wolf, is targeted towards older people.
Fraya said that after the Covid-19 pandemic, people have struggled with isolation and she wants her workshop to help combat that.
She hopes to encourage people to get out of the house and described trying new things as “the challenge and the antidote”.
Fraya said: “This experience is aimed at older people who would like to gain some confidence and skills in meeting new people, especially with a view to getting back out into the dating world again.
“A lot of people have huge fear of dating and meeting new people right now.
“As I’ve been talking to clients throughout the pandemic, I have witnessed a great deal of fear and loneliness that changed focus from being frightened of Covid-19 and of catching it from other people to being frightened of re-emerging into a world that they feel disconnected from, especially from other people.
“Millions of us have felt lonely during the pandemic and many of us have forgotten some of our social skills like how to talk to one another, especially new people in new situations."
The workshop on June 18 costs £60 for a ticket as part of a special offer running in May, or £85 in June.
Fraya, who used to lecture at Nottingham University, is running another workshop in Brighton on September 4.
She added: “Increasing social interactions and having novel experiences are important for our mental health and overall healthiness but can be challenging after a long period of isolation or only seeing a very small pool of people in familiar ways.
“So, getting out of the house, meeting new people, and doing new things are both the challenge and the antidote.
“The answer to combating loneliness and fear in a way that is not too terrifying is to find events that specifically get you conscious to these challenges and can help connect you with others in a healthy and safe environment to remedy some of the impact of the pandemic.”
For more information, email info@drwolfcoaching.com
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here