Group Type: Workshop
Goals of the Group:
- Empower individuals with chronic medical conditions to confidently navigate dating.
- Teach participants to overcome self-doubt, fear of rejection, and emotional barriers.
- Provide practical tools to build meaningful relationships.
- Help manage conversations about their condition, set healthy boundaries, and connect authentically.
Who Is The Group For?
- Individuals with chronic medical conditions struggling to navigate dating systems.
- Participants feeling lost or overwhelmed about starting or progressing in their dating journey.
- Those who have faced rejection, stigma, or personal doubts related to dating with a chronic illness.
Discussion Topics:
- Emotional fatigue and psychological toll of dating with a chronic illness.
- Overcoming feelings of inadequacy, frustration, and vulnerability.
- Strategies to manage stress and anxiety related to dating.
- Self-compassion, mindfulness, and coping techniques.
- Limiting beliefs related to the chronic condition.
- External barriers like stigma, fatigue, or accessibility issues.
- Techniques to overcome self-sabotage and build self-acceptance.
- Healing past emotional wounds related to dating with a chronic illness.
- Developing emotional resilience and transforming vulnerability into strength.
- Healthy communication styles and relationship boundaries.
- When and how to disclose your condition in dating.
- Developing a clear, personalized dating plan and setting actionable goals.
What Will We Talk About?
Session 1: Navigating the Emotional Toll of Dating with a Chronic Condition
- Goal: Understand the emotional and mental impact of dating with a chronic medical condition.
- Discussion Points:
- Emotional fatigue from dating with a chronic illness.
- Addressing feelings of inadequacy, frustration, and vulnerability.
- Strategies to manage stress and anxiety related to dating.
- Introduction to self-compassion, mindfulness, and coping techniques.
Session 2: Identifying Barriers and Self-Sabotage
- Goal: Identify internal and external obstacles in the dating process.
- Discussion Points:
- Exploring limiting beliefs related to the chronic condition.
- Identifying external barriers like stigma, fatigue, or accessibility issues.
- Techniques to overcome self-sabotage and build self-acceptance.
- Making space for another person emotionally and logistically.
Session 3: Releasing Emotional Baggage
- Goal: Let go of past disappointments or fears and develop emotional resilience.
- Discussion Points:
- Discussing past dating experiences and emotional wounds connected to your condition.
- Healing and releasing emotional blockages through reflective exercises.
- Understanding how vulnerability can be transformed into strength.
- Crafting new, empowering dating intentions based on current needs and reality.
Session 4: Building Healthy Relationship Skills
- Goal: Learn practical relationship skills and set personalized goals for healthy dating.
- Discussion Points:
- Understanding healthy communication styles and relationship boundaries.
- Exploring when and how to disclose your condition in dating.
- Developing a clear, personalized dating plan and setting actionable goals.
Glimpse of the Session:
- Session 1: Focuses on the emotional and mental well-being of dating with a chronic condition.
- Session 2: Explores barriers and self-sabotage in the dating process.
- Session 3: Aims to release emotional baggage and develop resilience.
- Session 4: Teaches practical relationship skills and sets actionable dating goals.
Please note that the session topics, order, and other details may be subject to change based on the needs and preferences of the group members and facilitators.
Facilitator Bio:
Facilitator: Shivaani Chugh
I am a therapist working at the intersection of chronic illness and mental health, with both clinical experience and lived experience informing my work. I have facilitated conversations around themes such as identity, self-worth, grief, boundaries, and emotional regulation, particularly in the context of living with long-term health conditions. My interest lies in creating reflective, psychologically safe spaces where individuals can explore nuanced experiences like dating, disclosure, and feeling “too much” or “not enough,” while feeling seen and less alone.
I am trained and primarily work from a Narrative Therapy lens, while integrating trauma-informed approaches into my practice. My work is grounded in creating supportive spaces where people can make sense of their experiences, reconnect with their own narratives, and feel understood in the complexity of living with chronic conditions.
This work feels especially meaningful to me because there are still very few spaces where people with chronic health conditions can openly talk about their relational and emotional experiences. I believe these conversations deserve care, depth, and visibility, and I value being able to hold space for them with empathy and thoughtfulness.
I am a therapist working at the intersection of chronic illness and mental health, with both clinical experience and lived experience informing my work. I have facilitated conversations around themes such as identity, self-worth, grief, boundaries, and emotional regulation, particularly in the context of living with long-term health conditions. My interest lies in creating reflective, psychologically safe spaces where individuals can explore nuanced experiences like dating, disclosure, and feeling “too much” or “not enough,” while feeling seen and less alone.
I am trained and primarily work from a Narrative Therapy lens, while integrating trauma-informed approaches into my practice. My work is grounded in creating supportive spaces where people can make sense of their experiences, reconnect with their own narratives, and feel understood in the complexity of living with chronic conditions.
This work feels especially meaningful to me because there are still very few spaces where people with chronic health conditions can openly talk about their relational and emotional experiences. I believe these conversations deserve care, depth, and visibility, and I value being able to hold space for them with empathy and thoughtfulness.
The above information can change at any time, and aren't verified by us. Feel free to reach out to the facilitator for any queries or clarifications.
