Ask a Matchmaker

This week, Maria is joined by Rayna Greenberg and Ashley Hesseltine, the co-hosts of Girls Gotta Eat podcast! Girls Gotta Eat is a comedy podcast about dating, sex and relationships.  In this episode, the ladies discuss… Listen to Girls Gotta Eat on Apple Listen to Girls Gotta Eat on Spotify Follow Girls Gotta Eat on Instagram Follow Rayna on Instagram Follow Ashley on Instagram Visit girlsgottaea...

Last week, it was the 3rd annual Ask a Matchmaker Thanksgiving Week! Non stop dating questions answered on Instagram. And thanks to you, we were able to raise over $1,500 for World Central Kitchen! This week on the podcast, Matchmaker Chrisoula Mavrianos from the Agape Match team joins Maria to go over the questions you sent in.  This week, we discuss… Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on Tik...

One of our goals on Ask a Matchmaker is to have real, authentic conversations about all things related to love and relationships. Cut through the BS and talk about things that really matter. This week is no exception.  We're talking about sex. We're talking about the sexual trauma and shame that we come across over the year. What it is, how to deal with it and how to talk about it. Joining us this...

How do you embrace your sexuality when you're not having sex? This week's guest has such a unique story and lives such a unique life… and is the perfect person to talk about this! Meet Kat Karris! Kat Harris is a Brooklyn-based online educator, digital content creator, female empowerment advocate. Her vision is for women to know their beauty, identity and value. She is co-founder of the The Refine...

That Episode Where A Token Straight White Guy Mike Seydell Answers Your Questions Maria asked you for questions you would love an answer to directly from a straight white man… get the info straight from the source! And she delivers with Mike Seydell - token straight white guy of the month! (Not his real title.)  Mike works in Marketing and Events for various companies/industries the last 10 years....

It's the day after the election. There is a lot at stake. There's a lot of emotions going around. So this week, Maria is here to help put a smile on your face with her sister and member of the Agape Mach team, Chrisoula Mavrianos! We asked you to send us your closure letters. Those words you wish you could say to someone but you know it's better you don't. But you still need to get the words and f...

She's the post-millennial version of Sex and the City…. except she's here to help guide you through YOUR dating and relationship questions! This week's guest is Tik Tok influencer and dating coach Tiff Baira. She hosts Take Me Out, a podcast that follows Tiff as she defines what it means to date in New York on her own terms. Together, they answer this week's dating questions. Follow Tiff on TikTok...

This week, we have reality TV royalty joining us to answer YOUR dating questions! Their unique story of how they became a couple adds some unique insight into the dating arena. Doug Hehner and Jamie Otis are the "OG" couple of the popular reality series Married at First Sight. After meeting at the alter 6 years ago, they are still happily married and have 2 beautiful rainbow babies, Henley Grace &...

This week, you're getting not one, but TWO matchmakers! Joining Maria on this week's episode  is her work husband, the Chief Operating Officer and Matchmaker at Agape Match, Louie Felix!  Louie Felix is matchmaking industry leader. His corporate startup and acquisition background brought him to the forefront of the relationship industry when he was contracted for the acquisition for a high end Bev...

Have you ever read the wedding announcements in a newspaper or magazine and just rolled your eyes? Sometimes it feels more like a bad chapter from a novel than real life. Heck, it feels more like some really odd flex than actually announcing your love for someone! Well, our guest today loves taking those announcements and having some fun with them. Meet the voice of the @NYTVows parody account, co...

We're living in a revolutionary moment in society. Conversations about race are at the forefront. But how does it affect dating?  This week is double the fun! You get not one, but TWO love and dating professionals to answer your questions! Maria is joined by dating coach and media personality Damonda Hoffman!  Damona Hoffman is a dating coach & media personality who starred in two A+E Networks' TV...

This week's guest is truly a wordsmith. Not only does her articles resonate and make you think, her tweets go viral all the time. Just recently, Hillary Clinton even retweeted her!!! What can we learn about the power of our words to build relationships with others, even getting that first date? Charlotte Clymer is a writer and LGBTQ advocate. She recently finished a tour as the press secretary for...

How we grow up can dictate how we act in our relationships as adults, whether we consciously know it or not. We might learn about these habits the hard way. How would growing up in a religious movement that some describe as an apocalyptic cult affect you as an adult? Could you imagine that?  Today, Matchmaker Maria speaks with author Flor Edwards and her twin sister Tamar Edwards. By age twelve, F...

We all have dating stories that are easy to look back at and see how we should have gotten out of it early on. Some are silly to look at and some seem so dangerous. But it isn't easy to see what's going on when we're in the middle of it. This week, Maria is sharing one story, hoping you might learn from it and maybe share this with someone that might be in the middle of their own toxic relationshi...

We all have one of two things: a romance we've seen on TV or a movie that we LOVE and a romance we've seen on TV or a movie that we can't stand. Maybe because we don't like the people OR we think "There's no way that would actually happen!" So much of our society's ideas on what a relationship could be or how it forms comes from movies. It's screwed up how we look at romance. This week, we're doin...

He's been answering dating and relationship questions for years on the JTrain podcast! Now he's our special guest this week to answer YOUR questions… it's Jared Freid! Jared Freid is a comedian based out of New York City. His comedy is current and reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if everyone you know is a millennial, obsessed with dating apps, trying to be a re...

What do Jeopardy! and dating have in common? No, Alex Trebek isn't single, he's happily married, sorry to disappoint you. But you can learn so much about how to approach dating and relationships by how top competing contestants on the show prepare to play the game.  And this week's guest is just the person to help… Jeopardy! Champion and Author of the new book, "Get Ready: A Champion's Guide to Pr...

This week, it's all about communication. How do you become a better listener? What if you're dating someone that isn't listening to you? We're going to talk about how to be a better communicator AND how to be your most authentic self with #SlayTheMic queen, Jam Gamble! Jahmeelah "Jam" Gamble is an award winning media personality, sought out keynote speaker, and CEO behind "Slay The Mic", a program...

This week, Maria welcomes Jasmine Lobe! Writer and actress Jasmine Lobe pens the relationship column, "The J-Spot", for the Observer. She has also written for Cosmopolitan, New York Post, Thought Catalog, The OkCupid Blog, New York Natives, and The Know Cultural Almanac. She's co-starred on Law & Order, Dirt, Cane, Retired at 35, The Human Giant, Hope & Faith, and acted in multiple web series and...

This week, we have our heads up in the sky, looking at the stars...okay, it's more like the astrological stars, but still! We're digging into so many things, including how astrology plays into our lives with this week's guest, Chrissy Rutherford! Chrissy is a fashion and social media expert with over 12 years experience in the industry. She was the Special Projects Director of Harper's Bazaar digi...

This week on the pod, Maria welcomes her first male guest! Not only is he a good friend, you could consider him the male version of Maria-- in that no nonsense dating advice sort of way. And boy does the conversation get heated! Billed as a "personal trainer for smart, strong, successful women," dating coach Evan Marc Katz has been helping singles since 2003. He is the author of four books, most r...

This week, Maria is quite excited for her special guest!  Hannah Orenstein is the Senior Dating Editor at Elite Daily. She's the author of three novels, including her newest release, Head over Heels: A Novel . She also was the youngest matchmaker for the largest dating service in the United States.  Things discussed in this week's episode include… Pick up Hannah's new book, Head over Heels: A Nove...

Finding the right words in a stressed situation can be frustrating. You want to make your thoughts known and it can be tough to say it just right so your message gets across. Not only is this an obstacle in dating, but in all of our relationships in life! Hence why Fotini Iconomopoulos is here this week to help you navigate those tricky situations when you need to say the right thing at the right...

It's the first episode of Ask a Matchmaker!  We start off this new series with a deep dive into the world of online dating! With the coronavirus pandemic, online dating has been taken to a whole other level. Since the in-person meeting options aren't always available, how do you work through this new, uncharted world? That's why Maria has brought on Erika Ettin to answer your questions and help yo...

It feels like narcissism has taken a bigger role in society in the last few years. What might start off as charming and great can quickly turn negative and unhealthy.  How do we make sure we don't get caught up with someone who is a narcissist? What should we look out for? How can you know if your partner IS one? Dr. Ramani Durvasula (better known as Dr. Ramani)  is a licensed clinical psychologis...