Hi Kat,

I would like to say thank you for all your help. Your advice, insights and wisdom were very helpful to me when getting back into the dating game after my marriage ended. It's almost a shame when your good advice pays off, because it means people won't get to speak with you as often anymore. The good news, bad news thing I guess. lol Your articles have been helpful too. It's been the smartest money I've ever spent on dating! I would recommend you to anyone at any time.

Thanks again, and take care!

Mark, 42
Manufacturing Technician
Waterloo, Ont.
Married 2006

Two years ago, Kateryna Spiwak coached me on my approach to dating. She is very easy to talk with. So, I was able to open up and ask her for advice.

Kateryna has amazing gut instincts. She's able to quickly diagnose a problem and suggest ideas to overcome it.

She helped me become aware of the signals I was giving off in dating situations. She also gave me advice on how to relax in a social setting.

I'd definitely recommend her as a dating coach.

Mike Aoki, 42
Trainer and Coach
Toronto, Ont.
Married 2008

Dear Kat,

I knew some things about dating, but after some coaching from you, I learned a lot more!

A big light went on when you made me aware of a key issue about a past relationship. I can honestly say I had one of those "wow" moments that will help me to really let go and move on.

I've also improved my flirting skills! I learned that sometimes people can convey things unintentionally through their body language.

I thought I was conveying confidence, but I realized I was conveying unapproachability. You helped me to soften the edges in order to send more specific signals. I've learned to move in a way that makes me appear more feminine, more like the person I really am. This has helped me feel more confident when communicating with new men I meet.

Thanks for helping me to portray myself the way I wanted to!

Jacklynn Little, 43
Purchasing Specialist
Markham, Ont.
Married 2007

Dear Kat,

Thank you for all the pointers and advice you’ve given me. I had dated very little before my marriage and when I first got divorced and attempted to meet people, I realized the grass wasn’t so green on the single side of the fence after all. I was very naïve about dating. I didn’t know what to expect and how to project the right image.

With your help, I learned to identify the kind of men that were right from me and to stay away from those who early on showed signs that they weren’t ready for a relationship. You also helped me clarify my dating goals and come up with characteristics of what I’m looking for in a potential partner. I have better defined needs and expectations and I feel more comfortable sharing them with potential partners and establishing clear boundaries from the onset of a relationship.

I feel empowered knowing that I deserve to be treated with respect and that the right person will like me the way I am, and that I do not have to pretend to be someone I’m not in order to have a successful dating and social life. I no longer waste time hoping someone is going to change their ways or start liking me more if I change mine. I can see the red flags early on and I no longer choose to ignore them. I have learned to move on quicker and not waste time on doomed relationships. This has also applied to my social life. I am better at identifying the people who do not enrich my life and have a negative effect on me. I now focus my energy on people with a more positive attitude, who truly value my friendship, even if that means having a smaller social circle.

All this has contributed to making me a more self-confident person and I realize that my new, more positive attitude toward dating make me a more attractive person. No longer a wallflower, I can now approach people I am attracted to, or at least make eye contact with them in a crowd!

Thanks for tirelessly repeating things I didn’t want to hear at first and for never losing your patience with me! Thanks for patiently listening to my rants and letting me express my frustrations, and always pointing me in the right direction… without ever making me feel like the loser I sometimes think I am.

You’re truly a wonderful person with a gift for coaching others. And here's an update I'm absolutely thrilled to tell you about - I met a wonderful man in the fall, and we are now living together! Thank you for all of your help!!

Best regards,

C.P., 34
Technical Project Manager, M.B.A.
Toronto, Ont.
Married July 2006

Dear Kateryna,

I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful presentation at "Parents Without Partners" and subsequent work that we did together. Dating and finding a new partner can be difficult for anyone but especially for a single parent. I was impressed by how quickly you took the edge off and won us over with your charm and wit. You really engaged us as an audience and answered all our questions in a thoughtful, caring and informative manner. It was great how you could mediate the audience as a forum and share information and ideas in such a manner that some members of the audience were actually able to address the concerns of others.

You opened my eyes to many possibilities for finding dates and meeting new people that before I was unaware of. After hearing what you had to say, I was excited about trying some of the techniques you suggested for meeting new people and expanding my social circle. I also felt much better equipped to deal with issues related to balancing the needs of my child with pursuing a new romance. I know that my search for that special person will be challenging but with your hlep I know I'll be able to find the woman for me.

Thank you Kateryna, it's been a real pleasure.

Ken P., 40
Video Producer
Toronto, Ont.
Now Engaged to Be Married

Having made a bad choice in my last significant relationship, I was hesitant to start dating again. Kat helped me work on some of my personal fears and roadblocks, helped me increase my confidence in screening potential dates (and mates!), gave a constructive review of my draft profile for an internet dating site, and even took my pictures for that site. Throughout our interactions Kat was warm, supportive, caring and funny. A great “people person”.

Thank you Kat, for your support, patience, and confidence in me!

Nancy, 45
Social Services Manager
Toronto, Ont.
Now in Serious Relationship

Hi Kat!

I am writing to you today because I wanted to let you know how delighted I am to have taken what was admittedly a reluctant step on my part in asking for your assistance in helping me to improve my relationship and dating skills.

I have tried various methods and techniques described in books, magazines and group sessions throughout the years and needless to say none of them helped me very much. It was with great skepticism that I contacted you to help me out and I must say that you quickly dispelled all of my reservations.

Your knowledge of the subject matter is amazing, and your style and warm presence made it very easy for me to engage in the process. Not only did you help me to identify my baggage and issues, you also helped me to accept them, and more importantly, to start to resolve and discard them. I feel happier overall, and so much better equipped to find and maintain a healthy relationship that's different from my past ones. I now know I will find the person best suited to me. All of the advice and tools that you provided, including the image changes that resulted from the clothing suggestions you made, have given me a new sense of self and confidence which is DEFINITELY coming through. Over the past few weeks I've been getting a LOT of interest and suggestive comments from quite a few women who wouldn't have even looked at me before. This is from women who already know me AND from total strangers too. In fact, I'm exuding so much confidence that I've even been recently "hit on" by a 21 year-old, even though I'm more than twice her age!! None of this would have been possible without your expertise and insight.

Throughout the entire process your dedication and professionalism shone through in a very gentle and non-obtrusive manner. You are very good at what you do Kat, and I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to recommend you to any of my friends or family. You should seriously consider cloning yourself. :)

F. L., 52
Senior Technical Consultant, Corporate
Toronto, Ont.

Kateryna,

Your coaching has paid off, and in more ways than I could have anticipated!

Following my divorce, I found it very hard to get out and meet new people. Through your coaching and guidance, my social interactions have increased dramatically. Between an improved sense of self-confidence in unfamiliar settings and learning new conversational skills, the process of meeting new friends and potential partners is fun again.

Your coaching has also started to pay dividends at work. The same skills that have helped my social life have also improved my business networking abilities, helping me to identify referrals and new contacts that I would have missed otherwise.

Thank you, Kateryna! Now if you could only fix me up with a great woman. :)

C. S., 38
E-Commerce Consultant
London, Ont.
Now in Serious Relationship

Hi Kat,

Just wanted to thank you for the advice you gave me several weeks ago. I had told you how nervous and apprehensive I was feeling, weeks before that party I was attending.

The pointers you gave me helped me to feel much more comfortable than I would have otherwise felt. Because of your help, I was able to approach and strike up conversations with women I found attractive. The party was a complete success for me. I felt so confident, I danced with a number of women that night. Before I would have felt too shy.

Thank you for breathing new life into my social life.

Cheers!

B.W., 40
Sound Technician
North York, Ont.
Now in Serious Relationship

This fall, Kateryna spoke to the students and faculty here at the English First International Language School in downtown Toronto.

A lively and engaging speaker, she shared all kinds of useful information regarding the dating process for people of all ages. The students clearly enjoyed listening and learning about how to become more effective at dating.

Audience participation was definitely at an all-time high with this topic, as Kateryna responded to the group's questions and comments with humour, tact, and sensitivity. She really captured their interest by explaining relevant cultural and social differences. It was unfortunate we had to end when we did!

We'd love to have Kateryna back again to share more of her knowledge and insights. Anyone interested in better dating skills or stronger social relationships can benefit from the information she shares.

Kelly Daudelin
Instructor
English First International Language School

Whether you've been dating for years or are just starting again, working with Dating Coach Kateryna (Kat) Spiwak is a worthwhile investment.

With compassion, caring, and "relationship-savvy", Kateryna helps her clients to understand that it all starts with THEM. Unless each of us is clear on who we are and what we are looking for in a relationship, it's a shot in the dark every time.

Kat helps you gain that clarity so you know when a dating scenario is right for you or not. This is especially true if you have a pattern of choosing the wrong person over and over again. Sometimes, we become confused because we're eager to give everyone "another chance", and we risk involvement with someone who isn't right for us. A conversation with Kat regarding this can be very eye-opening and stress-reducing. She is honest and forthright, while being tactful and empathetic to the existing dilemma.

Thanks, Kat!

I.A., 39
Media Consultant
San Diego, Calif.

Dear Kateryna,

This letter is to thank you for your help with my social and professional interpersonal skill sets. Within a short period of time, you have coached me to become more confident with dating and socializing in general.

The comfortable atmosphere you created made discussing and analyzing my personal issues easy and fun. We quickly targeted the areas where I needed improvement, and you gave me the guidance and insight I needed. Now I understand more about how I approach women and my role in relationships, and this will improve my approach in the future.

The information that you have provided has had dramatic effects already. I have noticed that people are finding me more approachable and my conversations with new people are lasting longer than they would have normally. I'm also becoming better at networking for business. Even my closest friends have commented on the improvements to my personal image, my confidence, and my overall attitude.

Your advice is something that I can carry with me for the rest of my life!

Thank you,

K.J., 43
Graphic Artist
Toronto, Ont.

Hey Kat,

You're really good at explaining how the female mind works. I've been dating for years, but confess I was always guessing at what women want and what they expect from men. Then when they didn't want to go out again, I was always confused.

Your insights have helped me to realize I need to be more attentive and pay more attention to nonverbal signals so I can figure out what's going on. Thanks for the help and for not making me feel silly for having so many questions. Best of luck.

G.R., 40
Information Technology Manager
Willowdale, Ont.

I'd never had a girlfriend prior to meeting with Kateryna. The women that I'd approached in the past either ended up having already a boyfriend/husband (the majority) or weren't interested in me in romantic ways, and in those rare cases that a woman might have been romantically interested initially, I quickly managed to mess it up unintentionally. To make matters worse, I've had to move in with my parents for financial reasons. Needless to say, I was very frustrated with my situation.

I met with Kat a number of times last summer. Kat recommended a number of exercises to do, several books and articles to read, and several suggestions to follow. I followed all of her recommendations to the best of my abilities, and now only a few months after our last session, I've met a woman that I'm seeing regularly. Not a bad result given all my previous failures and current living situation! Had I not had the sessions with Kat, I would probably have messed up my chances with my new friend once again.

In the end I got the results I was looking for, and I thank Kat from the bottom of my heart for all her help.

Abdul, 27
Lab Technician/Student Teacher
Scarborough, Ont.

Hi Kateryna,

This is just a quick note to again thank you for coming out to the library last night and giving your talk. I got a lot out of it.

Your talk was very informative and well presented. What stuck out in my mind and I think will carry through and use is when you said something like "If there is doubt, it may not be right". That got me thinking of some past relationships.

There were many points that you brought out that are common sense but sometimes we need a reminder which you provided. You also brought up some interesting ideas for meeting people that I had not thought of. But you didn't just go into dating and meeting people, you touched on things to think about while dating and beyond that I will carry forward with me.

I liked your relaxed style of presentation, and the fact that you answered every question with such confidence that shows experience and knowledge.

Thanks again,

Michael L., 47
Investment Banker
Toronto, Ont.

Hi Kateryna,

Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your presentation. I highly recommended you to our "Parents Without Partners" Mississauga & Brampton chapters to have you aboard.

24 hours after witnessing your presentation I implemented your answer to my question about "what a woman could do while grocery shopping to gain the attention of a man." It worked & was fun! Our segment on grocery shopping alone, such a routine activity, was brilliant. Everyone there enjoyed the funny, thought-provoking session.

It was an excellent evening provided by an insightful woman on a topic relevant for anybody who dates. I appreciated the wonderful evening & hope to see you at the next PWP presentation.

Thanks again for all your help!

Dave M., 44
Toronto, Ont.