Deeper Dating

By Laurie Sue Brockway

Wedding Goddess Wisdom

I've had about 20 single women and men come up to me at weddings in New York in recent weeks and tell me they are hoping to be the next down the aisle. If you live in these parts, want to let you know about a workshop I discovered that helps add a little soul to the dating experience.

So brides, pass it along to your single bridesmaids and groomsman.

Rumor has it that Deeper Dating is the hottest thing to hit Manhattan. It’s designed for New York women and men in their 30s and 40s who are searching for something a little deeper than just a night out on the town. A combination singles mixer and seminar, it is meant to inspire soulful connections, meaningful conversations and a “structured” opportunity to slip your card to anyone you would like to get to know a little better!

“We called it ‘Speed Dating with Soul’,” says Kathryn Janus, a Manhattan psychotherapist, who along with founder Ken Page, LCSW, will offer a Deeper Dating event at the 92nd Street Y, 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue, November 19, 7 to 10 pm. (Tickets are $30 in advance; $35 at the door).

Janus says the event boasts a sense of intimacy and openness that puts everyone at ease. “I think Manhattan needs these events because people are tired of going to parties or bars and talking about their work, their apartments ("Do you rent or own?") or politics. These events teach participants how to talk to people about subjects that really matter.”

The hallmark of Deeper Dating is that it draws participants who are committed to deeper values. “It begins with an illuminating mini-lecture on dating and intimacy followed by a series of exercises enabling people to meet many opposite sex participants in an enjoyable and less-superficial way,” says Janus, who has been happily married for 10 years. “I think that someone who comes to these events is looking for a more meaningful connection - a relationship with the possibility of a future! “

Where speed dating sends you rushing through short “interviews” with potential dates, Deeper Dating puts singles into small groups as well as one-on-one situations where they are given specific, evocative questions to discuss. Instead of “what’s your sign” is may be “what’s your purpose in life.”

“The questions are lively and fun and help folks get to know each other at a deeper level,” says Janus.

Although the 92nd Street Y event is for men and women, there are also events available for gay and lesbian singles. Find out more at www.DeeperDating.com or register at http://www.92y.org.

© 2006, Reverend Laurie Sue Brockway

Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway is one of New York's leading interfaith and non-denominational wedding officiants. She creates unique ceremonies for couples of all backgrounds and faiths, and is also widely recognized as a bridal stress expert and columnist. She is author of WEDDING GODDESS: A Divine Guide To Transforming Wedding Stress into Wedding Bliss (Perigee Books, May 2005). Visit Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway at www.WeddingGoddess.com.