Ask a Matchmaker

Comedian Jourdain Fisher joins Matchmaker Maria for a hilarious hotline episode about dating, love, and learning when not to "fix" your partner's problems. Go check out his comedy special,  Bits and Pieces , today!!  They break down whether weed is a real deal breaker, if one bad joke should end a relationship, and what it really means when someone says they're "going through something." Plus, Jor...

Psychiatrist and couples therapist Dr. Sue Varma joins Matchmaker Maria to explain why optimism isn't something you're born with, it's a skill you can build. They break down the difference between healthy realism and catastrophizing, why overthinking keeps people single, and how "maximizers" sabotage dating by chasing endless options. Plus, they answer a listener question about a boyfriend who's a...

Jared Freid is back on Ask a Matchmaker to talk about his new book, Walking Red Flag , and why most dating advice completely misses the average guy's perspective. Jared and Maria dive into the "types of singles," why family setups may be better than dating apps, the difference between "main street" and "alleyway" dating, and whether social media is making dating harder than it needs to be. They al...

Amy Chan , author of On Single , joins Matchmaker Maria to break down why so many people feel burned out by dating and what they're getting wrong! They discuss Amy's "dating funnel," why a lack of chemistry on a first date shouldn't always be a dealbreaker, and how doomscrolling, TikTok, and dopamine overload may be sabotaging your love life. Plus, a listener from Miami asks how to stay hopeful af...

Matchmaker Maria sits down with writer and mental health advocate Chrissy Rutherford to discuss the Summer House drama behind her essay, Ciara's Story is a Story I Know Too Well . From dating a friend's ex to the complicated realities of interracial dating, Chrissy explains why Ciara's experience struck such a nerve with so many black women. They dive into fetishization, friendship loyalty, codepe...

What can a steamy hockey romance teach us about attachment styles, situationships, and emotional vulnerability? This week, Matchmaker Maria is joined by her sister and fellow matchmaker, Chrisoula Mavrianos , to break down the hit series Heated Rivalry through the lens of dating psychology. They unpack why Shane and Ilya's 7 year push-pull dynamic feels so familiar, explore fearful avoidant vs. di...

Comedian and author Jordan Carlos joins Matchmaker Maria to talk about the surprisingly sexy secret to saving a relationship: doing the chores without being asked! From "invisible labor" and executive function to a grabbing some milk, they get into why a clean kitchen can actually improve your sex life! This episode gets hilariously real about marriage, gender roles, and modern dating. Jordan open...

Can ambition ruin a relationship? Matchmaker Maria sits down with author and journalist Stefanie O'Connell  to unpack why ambitious women are still being labeled "too much" in dating, work, and marriage. They discuss the research behind men pulling away when women out-earn them, why women still do more household labor even when they make more money, and how "provider mentality" can sometimes reall...

Maria Avgitidis sits down with Justin Garcia, PhD of the Kinsey Institute to break down the science behind modern dating, ghosting, dating apps, attraction, AI in dating, hookup culture and relationships. Maria and Justin get into why over 70% of singles have fallen for someone they usually wouldn't think they'd be attracted to and why Gen Z says they value authenticity yet nearly 50% of them are...

Matchmaker Maria is back with a hotline episode tackling the dating questions everyone is actually thinking about. She breaks down why shows like  Heated Rivalry , Bridgerton , and Grey's Anatomy have women hooked, and why vulnerability in men is the real turn-on. Then, a 37-year-old man asks how to follow the 12 Date Rule without killing the chemistry, and Maria explains how to show attraction wi...

Gen Z is having less sex! And THIS episode breaks down exactly why! Matchmaker Maria sits down with sex therapist Dr. Carli Blau to talk about the "sex recession," including stats like 1 in 3 men under 30 not having sex and people waiting longer for their first experience. They get into how dating apps, fear of rejection, and growing up online are making real-life connection harder, plus why hyper...

Dating burnout, dating app fatigue, and lack of motivation to go out are becoming the MAIN problems in modern dating, and Matchmaker Maria breaks down exactly why! We're joined this week by comedian Rachel Williams for a Hotline episode that tackles how a "frictionless" lifestyle filled with apps, delivery, and convenience is making dating feel harder than ever. A 32-year-old caller shares her str...

What if friendship is the real key to finding love? This week, Maria sits down with author and connection coach  Shari Leid , who shares the unbelievable story of being found as a baby in a cardboard box and how that shaped her mission to fight loneliness and seek connection. After a recent divorce and cross-country move, Shari reveals how traveling to all 50 states to share meals with strangers l...

It's a Hotline episode 👏 This week, Matchmaker Maria is joined by CEO of Agape Escapes, Amalia Kalogridakis, for a rapid-fire dating advice episode! They cover: money, friendship, and age gap relationships! They discuss whether $100,000 in credit card debt is a dating dealbreaker, how to rebuild your social life when your boyfriend is your only friend, and if a 39-year-old woman dating a 24-year-...

Matchmaker Maria is joined by TODAY.com senior editor Elena Nicolaou for a powerful conversation on miscarriage, partner support, and the reality of navigating women's healthcare. Elena shares the emotional story of finding out she was pregnant with quadruplets, miscarring, and then having to face a $41,000 medical bill after surgery! They also get into what grief looks like inside a marriage, how...

Limerence, obsessive dating thoughts, and why you can't stop checking your phone? Matchmaker Maria sits down with journalist and author Amanda McCracken , whose writing on relationships has been published in the New York Times, Guardian, and Vogue, to break down the psychology of intense romantic infatuation. Amanda shares how she dated over 100 men, struggled with "anchormen" from her past, and r...

Comedian Chloe Radcliffe  joins Matchmaker Maria for a dating advice hotline episode about modern dating, relationships, dating apps, and finding a serious partner. They help a listener figure out how to work with an ex-boyfriend who betrayed her but still wants the breakup kept secret at their workplace. Another caller asks how to balance casual dating and having fun at 29 while still wanting to...

JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's relationship, the viral "Alpine Divorce" dating trend, religious values in modern matchmaking, and the viral Hinge baker experiment are all part of today's dating conversation. In this solo episode, Matchmaker Maria reacts to the TikTok trend where partners abandon each other on hikes and explains why selfish behavior in relationships is often a pattern. She also bre...

Did millennial women grow up inside a system designed by powerful men? In this episode, Maria is joined by journalist Ileana Justine to unpack how mall culture, Victoria's Secret, JUICY sweatpants, low-rise jeans, and dress code "fingertip rules" shaped millennial body image, and how the Jeffrey Epstein era exposed who held the power behind those brands. They break down the male gaze vs. the femal...

Hard conversations in relationships, attachment styles, anxious vs avoidant dynamics, and emotional disconnection are at the center of this week's Ask A Matchmaker. Matchmaker Maria sits down with therapist and author Colette Fehr  to explain why couples fight about small things like Duolingo, texting back, or Valentine's Day flowers when the real issue is feeling unheard or unimportant. They brea...

Dating across cultures, first-generation identity, and family pressure in relationships take center stage on this episode with Matchmaker Maria and licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Rosette Elghossain to unpack how immigrant upbringing, enmeshment, and early family dynamics shape adult dating choices. They dive into navigating parental expectations, setting emotional boundaries, dating outside yo...

Dating apps, AI matchmaking, modern love, Valentine's Day dating, and real relationship tips collide in this solo episode as Matchmaker Maria breaks down the rise of AI matchmakers and what they actually get wrong about human connection. From chatbot dating coaches to algorithm-driven matches, Maria explores why faster swiping doesn't equal better relationships, and why real matchmaking has always...

It's a fun hotline episode with Sex and the City impressions, dating long distance advice, and knowing that marriage isn't for you! Matchmaker Maria is joined by hilarious stand up comedian  Anna Roisman  for a hotline episode packed with dating advice, love, and real-life dilemmas. Maria even gets to hear Anna's spot-on Steve from Sex and the City impersonation as they break down relationships, c...

Women menopause and perimenopause take center stage as Matchmaker Maria sits down with therapist and women's health advocate Lauren Tetenbaum , author of Millennial Menopause , to talk about what's really happening in the body and why most of us were never taught this. They break down the truth that menopause is technically one day, while perimenopause can last years and affect mood, sleep, libido...

Divorce, emotional healing, lonliness in divorce, and dating after divorce are explored as therapist Oona Metz joins Matchmaker Maria for an honest conversation about why divorce is not a bad word. This episode covers the 5 top reasons for divorce, why the opposite of love is not hate, why you are not alone in your divorce, and how divorce can be a powerful life transition instead of a failure. Oo...