Early dating is like a treasure hunt. It’s all about discovering another person and a revealing of yourself as the two of you do a dance of sorts, looking for the gems… as well as the stop signs. By now you know the taboo topics – those subjects such as financial hiccups, desperate desires for marriage or your family history of rehab – to steer clear of during the exploratory phase. But beyond what NOT to say, is the question of HOW MUCH to say? How much self-disclosure is appropriate and how much will send your date running for the door? Part of building a significant relationship is creating a foundation of trust. This doesn’t happen in one dinner, or even two or three. Trust takes time to build and as such, intimate information about yourself should be parceled out. This not only helps guard the relationship from premature ruin (i.e. most men can’t handle the deep stuff right away) but also shields you against feeling too unveiled, too early on. Stick to headline information at first and then move into the details when you begin to feel a  bond of trust and a zone of safety. And know that if your date feels more like a therapy session than a date, you’ve said too much!

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