Trying to find the perfect relationship, but don’t know where to look or start? Perhaps Amy Schoen is the answer. She’s a relationship coach with a Web site, www.heartmindconnection.com, that she uses to help singles throughout the D.C. area find a path to Mr. or Mrs. Right.
How did you get into relationship coaching?
When I was in my mid-30s I went through a divorce and did a lot of searching. I owned a clothing store at the time in Bethesda, but wanted a better life and a family. As I searched for a new husband, I dated often and became the person my friends looked to for advice. Eventually, I went to a career counselor who pointed me toward life coaching. I got certified and started working with people to help make dating less of a struggle.
What are some of the problems people often run into with dating?
You can’t look at dating and relationships without looking at what else is going on your life. You have to work from your own perspective and values and take personality into account. From there it’s about finding the right places to look. I’ve also started www.dcdatinginfo.com to help steer people toward the right places for dates.
What advice can you dole out?
Much of dating is just getting out there. People need to go to the places where they’ll meet people who share similar interests. I’m an active person and I met my husband through a biking group in D.C. But while I was looking I also dated people on my volleyball and bowling teams. I’m interested in those activities and that’s where I found people I was interested in.
Is D.C. a particularly hard place for people to date?
It can be. People are so busy, they work so hard that they forget to go out and look.
