Relationship skills for real life.
Join live Virtual Workshops created for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Available nationwide — build confidence and practical skills for communication, friendship, dating, online safety, and healthy relationships, all from anywhere in the country.
Healthy relationships are built through skills.
Many adults are expected to navigate friendships, dating, texting, boundaries, conflict, and online relationships without ever being taught how. That can lead to confusion, frustration, loneliness, and vulnerability.
Our Virtual Workshops provide a structured environment where participants can learn, practice, ask questions, and build confidence over time. Relationship skills can be taught. Confidence can be built.
A year-round relationship curriculum
Join at any time for $89 per month and participate for as long as the workshops are helpful to you. Our rotating curriculum covers a full year of topics designed specifically for adults with IDD, with two live workshops each month.
Members do not need to wait for the beginning of the curriculum. Topics repeat each year, so you can start with the next scheduled workshop.
Foundations of Friendship
Understanding healthy friendships and meaningful connection.
Conversation Basics
Learning how to start, maintain, and balance conversations.
Communication & Technology
Texting, calling, messaging, and online communication.
Humor & Social Awareness
Understanding jokes, social cues, and group interactions.
Social Planning & Conflict
Making plans, handling disagreements, and solving problems.
Teasing, Bullying & Boundaries
Recognizing unhealthy behavior and responding appropriately.
Dating Basics
Understanding attraction, dating, and healthy expectations.
Asking & Going on Dates
Building confidence and preparing for dating experiences.
Relationships & Boundaries
Creating healthy and respectful relationships.
Breakups & Big Feelings
Managing disappointment, grief, rejection, and change.
Confidence & Independence
Building self-esteem and self-advocacy.
Review & Celebration
Reflecting on growth and celebrating progress.
Same topics. Two ways to learn them.
Every session covers the same topic in two different workshops. Choose whichever way of learning feels most engaging and helpful to you.
Foundations
Foundations workshops provide clear, supportive, step-by-step instruction about friendship, dating, communication, boundaries, safety, and healthy relationships. Participants learn what different skills mean, see concrete examples, and practice words and actions they can use in real-life situations.
Foundations may be a good fit for someone who:
- Appreciates having words, concepts, and expectations clearly defined.
- Prefers information to be broken into smaller, manageable steps.
- Benefits from direct examples of what to say or do.
- Likes clear visual reminders, checklists, and sentence starters.
- Wants time to learn a skill before applying it independently.
- Feels more confident when the core respectful response is clearly identified.
- Benefits from repetition, guided practice, and calm corrective feedback.
Discussion & Application
Discussion & Application workshops invite participants to explore friendship and dating topics through conversation, guided reflection, and realistic situations. Participants consider different perspectives, examine facts and assumptions, and build confidence making thoughtful relationship decisions when the answer is not always obvious.
Discussion & Application may be a good fit for someone who:
- Enjoys learning through conversation and guided reflection.
- Wants to understand why a relationship skill matters.
- Likes considering more than one perspective.
- Is comfortable with situations that may not have one obvious answer.
- Enjoys explaining the reasoning behind a choice.
- Can consider what is known, what is unknown, and what may be an assumption.
- Wants to apply relationship concepts to nuanced, realistic situations.
A simple way to tell them apart
Foundations — "Teach me the skill clearly, show me what it can look and sound like, and help me practice it."
Discussion & Application — "Give me a realistic situation, let me think it through, and help me consider the context and different perspectives."
The topics are equally important. The participants are equally respected. The difference is how the material is taught, explored, and practiced.
You can switch between them.
You do not need to decide today. Before each session we email you both options with a separate registration link for each one, and you choose which workshop you want when you register. You are never locked in — you can join Foundations one session and Discussion & Application the next.
Twice every month.
Workshops are held live on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month. Both workshops run on the same dates, one after the other. Each session is 45 minutes on Zoom. Members may join at any point during the year, and the topics repeat annually.
Foundations
4:00 PM PT · 5:00 PM MT · 6:00 PM CT · 7:00 PM ET
45 minutes
Discussion & Application
5:00 PM PT · 6:00 PM MT · 7:00 PM CT · 8:00 PM ET
45 minutes
Both workshops are held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month.
What’s coming up.
First Date Skills (Foundations)
A step-by-step look at what makes a first date go smoothly. We'll learn how to make a simple plan, keep a balanced conversation, and help both people feel comfortable.
First Date Skills (Discussion & Application)
A discussion and practice session on real first-date moments. We'll talk about handling nerves and awkward pauses, keeping conversation balanced, and respecting boundaries as they come up.
Maintaining Dating Relationships (Foundations)
A clear lesson on how couples stay connected. We'll learn simple habits for communication, shared effort, and respecting each person's own life.
Maintaining Dating Relationships (Discussion & Application)
A discussion session on keeping a relationship strong over time. We'll talk about staying connected, working through everyday bumps, and balancing togetherness with independence.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships (Foundations)
A step-by-step lesson on recognizing healthy and unhealthy patterns. We'll learn to spot green flags, notice warning signs, and know who to talk to when something feels off.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships (Discussion & Application)
A discussion session using real examples of healthy and unhealthy moments. We'll practice telling the difference and talk about what to do when something does not feel right.
Managing Breakups (Foundations)
A gentle, step-by-step lesson on ending a relationship with respect. We'll learn how to say goodbye kindly, care for our feelings, and move forward without hurting the other person.
Managing Breakups (Discussion & Application)
A discussion session on ending relationships and moving forward. We'll talk through real breakup situations, the many feelings they bring, and respectful ways to handle them.
Handling Rejection & Disappointment (Foundations)
A step-by-step lesson on responding to a no. We'll learn calm, respectful responses, ways to handle hard feelings, and the reminder that rejection does not define our worth.
Handling Rejection & Disappointment (Discussion & Application)
A discussion and practice session on facing a no. We'll talk about real moments of rejection, how to steady big feelings, and how to keep our confidence.
Building Confidence (Foundations)
A step-by-step lesson on growing everyday confidence. We'll learn how to notice our strengths, speak kindly to ourselves, and take small steps toward the connections we want.
Building Confidence (Discussion & Application)
A discussion session on growing everyday confidence. We'll share real situations, practice kinder self-talk, and talk about small steps that build confidence over time.
Independence With Support (Foundations)
A clear lesson on making our own choices while getting the right help. We'll learn how to decide for ourselves and how to ask trusted people for support.
Independence With Support (Discussion & Application)
A discussion session on making our own choices with the right help. We'll talk through real decisions, when to ask for support, and how to stay independent with people around us.
Review & Real-Life Practice (Foundations)
A step-by-step review of the year's key skills. We'll revisit the most important tools and see them modeled in friendship, dating, and communication situations.
Review & Real-Life Practice (Discussion & Application)
An active practice and discussion session pulling together the year's key skills. We'll use them in realistic situations and talk through how they felt.
Looking Ahead (Foundations)
A warm, step-by-step wrap-up of the year. We'll celebrate what we learned and name a few skills to keep practicing.
Looking Ahead (Discussion & Application)
A reflective, celebratory discussion to close the year. We'll look back on what we learned together and set personal goals for healthy, respectful connections in the new year.
Learn. Practice. Grow.
- 1
Attend live Virtual Workshops
Join from anywhere with internet access.
- 2
Participate actively
Discussions, examples, activities, and role play.
- 3
Stay supported
Caregivers receive email summaries after each session.
- 4
Keep growing
Continue building confidence over time.
More confidence. More connection.
My experience in workshops has been very good. I've learned how to filter and think before you speak or act.
As the parent of a participant, I feel the Find Love Safely workshops are very positive. The sessions address real-life topics—from meeting new people and communicating effectively to building healthy relationships—in a way that is respectful, practical, and empowering.
I enjoy the virtual workshops because they give us advice and information to help build relationships and communication skills. It also allows us to see the Find Love Safely community!
The FLS virtual workshops have been very helpful to me in developing social skills. I have learned more about communication and how difficult it can be. I have also learned how to be a better friend. The topics have been interesting and the information shared has given me important tools to use in my relationships. Thank you FLS for offering these virtual workshops!
Virtual Workshops membership.
Public funding may be available through programs such as Minnesota CDCS, California SDP, and Massachusetts self-directed flexible spending.
Virtual Workshops
Live instruction, practice, community, and ongoing support.
- Two live Virtual Workshops each month
- Full Compass™ app membership included
- Recorded workshop library
- Relationship education curriculum
- Interactive coaching tools
- ScamCheck™ integration
- Community participation
Workshops FAQ
Who are the Virtual Workshops for?+
Our workshops are designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to build real relationship skills — whether that means making friends, going on dates, texting with confidence, or just feeling more prepared for social situations. If you're curious about growing your connections, you're welcome here.
Do I need dating experience?+
Not at all. Some members have dated before and want to get better at it. Others are just starting to think about relationships. Wherever you are, the workshops meet you there — no pressure, no judgment.
What if I live outside a matchmaking city?+
You can join from anywhere. Our Virtual Workshops and Compass app are available nationwide, so no matter where you live, you have access to the same community, curriculum, and support.
What happens if I miss a workshop?+
Life happens, and we get that. Every workshop is recorded and made available through Compass app, so you can catch up on your own schedule and never feel behind.
Can I join at any time?+
Absolutely. Our curriculum runs year-round and topics repeat annually, so you can jump in whenever you're ready. There's no "right" time to start — just the time that works for you.
Do I have to pick Foundations or Discussion & Application?+
No. Every session is offered both ways, and you choose before each session — not in advance. Your invitation for each workshop includes both options, so you can pick whichever suits you that day and switch whenever you like.
Build skills that last a lifetime.
Healthy relationships begin with communication, confidence, awareness, and practice. Start building those skills today.