Ask a Matchmaker

Matchmaker Maria is joined by sex therapist and LGBTQ+ matchmaker Dr. Frankie Bashan to talk about modern dating, ethical non-monogamy, and why she's now helping couples find a third partner! They also answer a listener's question about dating a transgender woman for the first time, including how to talk about sex, intimacy, and compatibility. Plus, Maria and Dr. Frankie debate dating apps, double texting, and why instant chemistry on a first date might actually be anxiety.

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• Ask A Matchmaker fans can buy one pair of glasses and get 20% off any additional pairs at https://WarbyParker.com/MATCHMAKER - and using our link helps support the show! #WarbyParker #ad

Why is Gen Z having less sex? Kinsey Institute Executive Director Dr. Justin Garcia returns to discuss the new Playboy study, including why 50% of Gen Z respondents haven't had sex recently or ever, and why 34% of young men say porn completely satisfies their sexual desires. Matchmaker Maria and Dr. Garcia also explore how money, living with your parents, and economic uncertainty affect sex lives, plus the importance of consent and sex education.

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Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists & mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/matchmaker #rulapod #ad

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Stand-up comedian Daniela Mora joins Matchmaker Maria for a hotline episode!! The two first talk about Daniela's recently new relationship, starting out long-distance, and how she and her boyfriend first connected on Snapchat and sexted before dating. They get into what actually makes a green flag, why Daniela loves her boyfriend's work ethic, and where strip clubs fit into the "red flag or not?" conversation. Plus, they answer a listener's question about whether you should tell the person you're dating that you're also going on dates with other people. We said, NO but curious your takes!

Why are people having fewer children, and what does dating have to do with it? Matchmaker Maria sits down with journalist and author Anna Louie Sussman, author of Inconceivable, to unpack dating apps, AI-generated dating criteria, social media outrage, the pressure to find a "perfect" partner, and why women and men may be looking for very different things in relationships. They also get into Korea's 4B movement, why online dating can create choice paralysis, and Anna's advice for singles: stop treating dating like a marketplace and get genuinely interested in other humans!!

Matchmaker Maria kicks off Season 7 with a wild update: after being featured in the New York Times and making headlines in Greece, her matchmaking company, Agape Match, was impersonated by a scam center targeting single men on Telegram. She shares how the scammers stole photos of her real employees, created fake dating profiles, charged victims everything from $50 activation fees to $25,000, and even used AI generated women to make the scam look real. It's a scary story that you need to listen to so you can be sure you're not next!!

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

Matchmaker Maria sits down with licensed therapist Nadine Ahmed to unpack the "angry dad theory," how growing up with emotionally unavailable or angry parents can affect our relationships, and why learning to apologize to your kids can break the cycle.!Then, Maria and Nadine answer Hotline Questions from YOU! From listeners waiting three years for a proposal, whether you should stay friends with an ex who is dating someone you once worried about, and if you should be engaged before moving in together. They also get into destination weddings, financial compatibility, renting out your NYC apartment, and why dirty socks and dishes might actually be about respect and compatibility!

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• Get 25% off Cowboy Colostrum with code MATCHMAKER at http://cowboycolostrum.com/matchmaker

Matchmaker Maria and Louie Felix tackle dating after divorce, including how a single mom with two young kids can find a serious relationship and why the six-date rule can help. They also get into the ultimate couple fight: dirty dishes, different cleaning habits, and what those little conflicts can reveal before marriage. Plus, they break down what to do when someone's actions don't match their words and how much lifestyle compatibility really matters.

Nina Kharoufeh, matchmaker, comedian, and former Match Me Abroad host, joins Matchmaker Maria to talk about what really happened when Americans went to Morocco looking for love. It didn't end in finding a "trophy wife" like one man thought! They then discuss why daters are rejecting second dates over tiny things, and why height, weight, and other physical preferences can keep you from meeting someone great. They get into hotline questions, answering a listener whose friend is hiding a former sugar baby arrangement from her fiancé, and give advice to a woman dating while working in a male dominated industry.

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Get 40% off select Lola Blankets products at http://Lolablankets.com by using code MATCHMAKER at checkout. Experience the world's #1 blanket with Lola Blankets. #ad

Suzy Welch joins Matchmaker Maria to break down VALUES and what your core values can reveal about dating, compatibility, marriage, and the life you actually want. They get into why values (not personality) can make or break a relationship, the "divorce values" to watch for, why place and "belovedness" can be major dealbreakers, and whether couples really need to share the same top values. Also, Suzie shares what happened when her daughter and her fiance took the Values Bridge and discovered their top six values were exactly the same! Check out the The Values Bridge code MATCHMAKER today and comment your top 5 in the comments!