Cupid of Columbus Rachel Joy Barehl, a Columbus matchmaker known as the “City’s Superconnector” and the “Dating Doula,” is giving singles the skills they need to find love, all without a bow and arrow By Sav McKee / Photos by Sarah Pfeifer
↑ Rachel Joy Barehl, Columbus Matchmaker
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(614) MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2024 614NOW.COM
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f only finding love was as easy as a cute, little cherub named Cupid aiming a heart-shaped arrow at us. Now, in this digital age of love, we’re surrounded by catfishing, ghosting, roaching, cobwebbing, love-bombing, orbiting, beige flags, situationships, and the dreaded “ick.” If these terms happen to just be a part of your daily lingo now, it might be time for a reassessment. And no, this doesn’t mean you have to delete all of your dating apps and resort to scrawling your number down on a bar napkin (although that sounds like a great way to meet someone, too). Enter the modern Cupid of Columbus, sans arrow of course. Rachel Joy Barehl is a certified matchmaker based in central Ohio, and she’s known as the "City’s Superconnector" and "Dating Doula." Initially a skeptic of online dating, Barehl, after mingling with and learning from some of the best matchmakers globally, realized it’s not necessarily the apps themselves, but how we use them that contributes to the loneliness epidemic. Dating profiles should be authentic, but many are using them incorrectly. Notably, Barehl still advocates for face-to-face connections and meaningful, in-person conversations. “I’m not anti-dating app anymore,” Barehl laughed. “But I also see the value of in-person dating. Deep conversations usually don’t happen through texting or messaging on an app. But that being said, there are ways to show yourself fully online that will help you meet a better match. People just need some guidance! There’s not a class in life that teaches online dating norms,” she emphasized. There may not be a class that teaches us how to choose the perfect online dating photo, or what to write in the bio section, but there is now Rachel Barehl here in Columbus, who thrives at being the middle-man. “I love helping people think outside the limits they have. I’m a sounding board and a reflection of their best selves. I can’t promise love – I’m promising support, but I do promise that I’ll work all day and all night to find someone the type of love they deserve,” said Barehl. As an established photographer in the Columbus community, Barehl’s knack for capturing romance enhances her matchmaking skills. She empowers clients to embrace their quirks, to value those qualities within themselves, and ideally, find a partner who appreciates them, too. As one of her clients put it, “Our conversation was pivotal in me seeing my value and being unafraid to ask for it to be seen. That means more to me than you know.” Barehl has invested significant time attending the Global Love Institute’s matchmaking courses, where she studied the science of building successful partnerships. Additionally, she’s received a validated matchmaking seal through relationship coaching by the world-renowned Love Doctor, Dr. Terry Orbuch. Plus, she’s learned the secrets of the love trade directly from famous matchmaker and dating coach, and NYT bestseller, Rachel Greenwald. And through these various matchmaking conferences, she’s established databases with other matchmakers around the country. Columbus’ Cupid is forging her own path in the field of matchmaking, though. “A lot of matchmakers are just for the wealthy and beautiful, but I want to make this accessible – I’m looking beyond the beauty standard, and I’m helping people of all different backgrounds, ages, sizes, sexualities, and shapes,” Barehl explained. Her ideal client? Someone who’s serious about finding a connection. Someone who’s compassionate, kind, and open to meeting new people. Someone who’s okay with restructuring their dating approach. “Really, it’s someone who’s willing to be stretched in different ways,” Barehl emphasized. →