Are you caught in the impossible paradox of longing for connection, yet terrified of being hurt again? You are not alone. For those recovering from betrayal, abandonment, or toxic relationship patterns, standard dating advice like "just get back out there" doesn't work-it feels dangerous. Dating After Hurt is not a book that tells you to force yourself to trust before you are ready. Instead, it offers a trauma-informed approach to love, helping you understand that your fear is not a character flaw-it is your nervous system trying to protect you. In this gentle, practical roadmap, you will learn how to: Decode Your Nervous System: Understand why you oscillate between anxiety and shutdown, and learn tools to return to a state of safety. Distinguish Intuition from Fear: Finally stop second-guessing yourself by learning the specific physical signals that separate past trauma from present warnings. Build Internal Safety: Develop the five pillars of self-trust so you can date without abandoning yourself. Master the Art of Pacing: Learn why "slow" isn't avoidance-it's wisdom. Discover how to test trust in small increments rather than handing it over all at once. Navigate Disclosure: A step-by-step guide on when and how to share your history without trauma-dumping or hiding. Whether you are healing from a recent breakup, a long-term divorce, or a history of emotional unavailability, this book provides the bridge between protecting your heart and opening it. You don't have to be fully healed to date. You just need the right structures to keep you safe. You can love again-differently this time.