Your dating coach

Someone in your corner between introductions.

Meet Trelawney Kerrigan

Trelawney is our dating coach, and she offers members a safe, confidential space to talk through their dating life: what's working, what isn't and what they actually want next.

She has worked in personal matchmaking for eleven years, so she knows what happens on both sides of an introduction. She's a qualified coach and NLP practitioner, and her approach is warm, friendly and entirely non-judgemental. No two members are alike, so no two sessions are either. She listens first, then tailors the session to you.

Outside coaching, Trelawney is the author of three books and two screenplays, all about the same thing: the beauty of genuine human connection. She has featured in The Sunday Times and The Telegraph, and has helped produce content for ITV, ITVbe, Channel 5 and the BBC. She works with people from all walks of life.

What a dating coach actually does

Not pep talks. Not "just be yourself" (you already are, and it hasn't been the problem).

A good dating coach helps you see your own patterns clearly and do something useful with what you find.

That might mean getting specific about what you want, rather than what you think you should want.

It might mean working out why the third date keeps being the last one.

Or it might just mean having someone sensible to talk to before you walk into a restaurant to meet a stranger.

Where Trelawney can help

Getting clear on what you want

Before your matchmaker starts searching, it helps to separate the non-negotiables from the habits. Trelawney helps you tell them apart.

Coming back to dating after a long relationship

If the last time you dated, nobody had a smartphone, the rules can feel unfamiliar. They're simpler than they look, and you won't be learning them alone.

First-date preparation

What to talk about, what not to, and how to stop rehearsing in the taxi.

Making sense of feedback

Your matchmaker gathers feedback after every introduction. Trelawney can help you work out what it means and what, if anything, to change.

Resetting when things stall

If introductions aren't turning into second dates, an honest outside view is often quicker than another month of guessing.

Feeling ready again

If confidence has taken a knock, whether from a break-up, a bad run of dates or simply time out of practice, a calm, confidential conversation is a good place to start.

Coaching is part of your membership

Coaching is available to Matchmakers Dating members as part of their membership.

It isn't sold separately, because it works best alongside the matchmaking itself: your matchmaker finds and arranges the introductions, and Trelawney helps you make the most of them.

How coaching fits into your membership depends on the level of involvement you choose. It's all agreed in advance and set out in your membership agreement, and your free consultation is where we talk it through.

? Can I book a dating coach without becoming a member?

No. Our coaching is for members only, because it's designed to work alongside your introductions rather than instead of them.

? Do I need coaching to join?

Not at all. Plenty of members never use it. It's there if and when it's useful.

? Is dating coaching the same as therapy or counselling?

No. Coaching is practical and forward-looking: what you want, how you come across and what to do next. If something deeper is getting in the way, Trelawney will say so honestly and suggest where to find the right support.

? How do coaching sessions work?

Sessions take place by phone or video call, at a time that works around your diary.

Start with a conversation

Free, confidential and no obligation

Tell us about your life, your standards and what you're looking for. We'll explain how matchmaking and coaching work together, and whether we're the right fit for you.

Talk to a matchmaker