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 using AI in their dating lives. They discuss whether first-date chemistry is overrated, why ghosting may actually may come from fear of rejection and conflict, and the difference between social monogamy and sexual monogamy. Plus, Justin shares the Kinsey Institute's research on emojis, sexting, hookup culture, pair bonding, and why "the grass is greener where you water it" may be the most important dating advice singles need right now!

📚Check out Justin's new book, The Intimate Animal, today!

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Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

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 without rushing into sex or creating a situationship. She also answers a listener wondering if their urge to flirt means they're non-monogamous or just not choosing the right partner. From emotional connection to the reality of long-term love, this episode gets honest about what dating really takes.

Connect with quality therapists & mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/matchmaker #rulapod #ad

Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

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-sexual messages like "do you like butt play?" are replacing normal conversation! Dr. Carli explains why many cases of painful sex are driven by anxiety and fear, not just physical issues. Plus, real advice on how to build your social muscle, meet people in real life, and stop over-filtering your dating pool.

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Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

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 struggle with feeling hopeless after quitting dating apps, and Maria explains why simply going out is a win and how weekly routines like classes or events can rebuild momentum. They also dig into family dynamics and red flags, including how to tell if your mom is right about your boyfriend or projecting her own issues. Plus, a real talk on exclusivity without labels and whether "right person, wrong time" actually exists. Sometimes they do!

Connect with quality therapists & mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/matchmaker #rulapod #ad

Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

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 led to her "Flip the Box" philosophy: turning isolation into connection. They break down her 3 connection power tools , plus real-life icebreakers that actually work at events! Then, they tackle a listener question from a 33-year-old in Chicago feeling left behind by married friends and give practical advice on building a new social circle from scratch! Check out her book Table for 51: Lessons Learned from Sharing Meals Across America by Shari Leid today!

support the show, support the sponsors! 👉 Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code MATCHMAKER at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply.

Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

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-old man is headed for heartbreak or just harmless fun. Plus, they also invite listeners to their Greece retreat and cruise this August, make some new friends with Amalia, Maria, and Chrisoula!

Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

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 to know if your partner can handle real life stress, and why dating should be about more than just chemistry. Plus, they respond to a listener struggling after miscarriage when her husband seems ready to move on too fast.

Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

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 realized she was addicted to longing, not love. They unpack dopamine hits from texting, why intermittent responses keep you hooked, and how purity culture and hookup culture can wire you for obsession. Plus, what to do when your mood depends on a text back, why "butterflies" can be anxiety, and the exact mindset shift that helps you stop chasing unavailable people. If you've ever reread texts, stalked Instagram, or felt addicted to someone after 4 dates, this episode is your wake-up call.

Be sure to pick up a copy of When Longing Becomes Your Lover today!

Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

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 find a husband before her aging parents pass away. Maria and Chloe also talk about how to improve a Hinge profile to attract men who want marriage and family, and why you may need to swipe on the "6s and 7s" instead of only the "10s." Chloe also shares the unique "processing time" parenting method her mom used growing up to help her face emotions directly, and how having a visible birthmark shaped her experience with confidence and dating!

Check out Chloe on the road 👉https://www.chloeradcliffe.com/

Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

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 breaks down American Love Story and the relationship lesson behind Carolyn Bessette not immediately saying yes to John F. Kennedy Jr.'s proposal. Plus, Maria shares surprising trends she's seeing in her matchmaking office, including singles converting to Roman Catholicism and the rise of AI matchmaking. And finally, she weighs in on the viral woman giving men sourdough bread from Hinge as a low-pressure way to meet and vibe check potential dates!

Ready to date with intention?

💌 Join Maria's Roundtable community or submit your own dating question: 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/askaquestion Use promo code ROUNDTABLE50 for $50 off

Make new friends. Travel the world. ☀️ Check out upcoming trips: https://agapeescapes.com/ Use code ESCAPES150 for $150 off early bird pricing.

✨ Order Maria's book 👉 https://www.matchmakermaria.com/book 🎧 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a 5-star review if you're feeling lovable and likable

Everything: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria Agape Match IG: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch

Agape Match: https://agapematch.com/

Producer: Venetia Geras https://www.venetiageras.com/

Studio: WTF Media Studios https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home