Farmington offers class to help online daters manage frustration, write better profiles

A south metro parks and recreation department is offering a new course helping adults manage their frustrations with dating — and craft a better online profile while they’re at it.

“This is ... just kind of a general workshop about the frustrations of dating,” said Laura Baertsch, who will co-teach the class offered by Farmington Parks & Recreation. “I do throw humor in with my audience and they love that.”

The one-time course will be an “open forum” on dating, with a focus on discussing what qualities attendees are looking for in a significant other.

Baertsch said she wants to emphasize that there are ways to meet people after going through divorce or the loss of a spouse or partner.

Baertsch, who has three decades of experience in the dating and relationships field, started working for a video dating service called “Great Expectations” in the ‘90s. She’s now employed by Minneapolis Singles by day. The other instructor has a background as a counselor specializing in grief and loss and will talk about dating anxiety.

“I’ve always like matching people up, even in college,” Baertsch said, adding that she likes hearing people’s stories.

Dating can be challenging, she said, and online dating even more so due to scams, ghosting and phishing. “With online dating, I hear the guff,” she said.

Baertsch has never offered such a class before. But she already has ideas for follow-up sessions on topics like speed dating, updating photos for online profiles and “how to get to that second date.”

Missie Kohlbeck, Farmington’s recreation supervisor, said the class was a go because Valentine’s Day is coming up and many people recently followed “The Golden Bachelor” with interest.

“It just seemed like a good fit,” Kohlbeck said, adding that if someone with the appropriate credentials approaches her about hosting a class and she has the space, she tries to make it work.

The class will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the Rambling River Center in Farmington. Search under “special events” to register.