Meet DeAudra Reed | Clincally Trained Counselor & Certified Coach/Matchmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with DeAudra Reed and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi DeAudra, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I decided to become a Certified Life Coach in 2020 because I wanted to help survivors of domestic violence regain the courage to love and pursue their dreams again. I wanted to service those who had navigated their healing process but still struggled to believe in the love they once desired and the dreams they used to imagine.

As a survivor, I understood the need for support while navigating the journey forward. Unfortunately, at that time, many of those who sought my help and support were actually in need of therapy. As a provisionally licensed and certified mental health counselor, I recognized this quickly. They had not, yet, navigated their healing process and I found myself making referrals to counselors and therapists who could assist them. After 2 years of that, I decided to no longer focus on serving that population specifically.

Simultaneously, while working as a Professional Matchmaker, at the time contracting with a large Matchmaking agency, I realized my clients needed more than someone to pick matches and plan dates on their behalf. Many of them needed coaching to prepare them for the type of relationship they desired. I also noticed that Christian clients, regardless of any other factor, had a more challenging time benefiting from the service the same as non-Christian clients.

It became a bit of a burden for me. I felt I could and wanted to provide the coaching that was very much needed, and I was willing to go the extra mile to focus on faith, as many of my clients desired. I thought, “I have the skills. I have the desire. I have an understanding of the industry. Why not do this work on my own and in a way that feels authentic to me?” I also had clients who inquired as to why I wasn’t already offering the service independently and suggested that I should.

After many months of thinking it over, praying, and planning, I decided to launch my boutique Matchmaking and Coaching agency, Two the Coeur – Dating with DeAudra, where intentional, purposeful dating is the aim and getting to the heart of the matter is the focus. I wanted to build a business that would help clients Prepare for the love they desire, learn how to Engage suitable partners, and lean into Support as they navigate the dating process.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Two the Coeur – Dating with DeAudra is a faith-based agency. It was built on the premise of helping Christians who have strong faith values maintain their faith while dating. My clients are not required to have devout beliefs but those who do have strong beliefs know that their faith is safe while working with me. I give the same priority to their values as they do and I never ask them to compromise what they believe or desire.

I help my clients overcome past relationship experiences, learn essential dating and relationship skills, and prepare for the success they desire in love. I am most proud of the growth I see in my clients. It brings me great joy to witness their evolution as they learn how to navigate dating more confidently and securely. I find the most pleasure in supporting my clients as they arrive at the necessary realizations to make hard decisions to leave unhealthy relationships and move forward to pursue the type of love they truly deserve, which brings me back to my original mission as a Coach. I specialize in helping clients dare to love again after whatever heartbreak or injury they’ve sustained in dating.

I am most excited about the pivot I am currently navigating in my business. Coaching will now become the main focus as I continue serving my exclusive roster of Matchmaking clients until their journeys come to an end. With that said, single Christian men 30 – 60 years old (in Atlanta and beyond), if you are looking for a marriage-minded Christian woman who has intentionally been preparing to become a wife, DM me the word “Match” on Instagram @datingwithdeaudra and I will send you a link to create your free private profile. Who knows, one of my exclusive Matchmaking clients may be just the wife you’ve been looking for.
The wives are waiting!

This journey hasn’t been the easiest but I am grateful for every client who has trusted me along the way, for every pivot, and for colleagues who have helped me navigate the challenges. While building this business, I spent many long days and nights, with no sleep, building my website, creating contracts, developing my coaching intensive, and completing other necessary tasks and it was all worth it. I now have a business I am proud to say I built on my own and I have learned so much in the process.

I’ve learned to give myself grace for the mistakes I’ve made along the way, the things I simply didn’t know, the mishaps, the setbacks, and even for not applying the wisdom I so earnestly prayed for. Continuing to push forward and daring to keep working at growing day after day, in addition to not being afraid to pivot as necessary, has helped me navigate the tough times, and I’m grateful for every lesson.

I think it’s important for the world to know that I lead my business with my heart. Whatever the journey looks like or whatever the outcome may be, it is my desire for all of my clients to see success in some capacity. Some of them will walk away more confident and secure, some will be more self-aware, some will meet amazing people in the dating process, and others may simply gain a better understanding of their needs and wants in a relationship. That’s also something I’ve learned. The outcome for each person may be different but it is success nonetheless.

Finally, I think it’s important to add that I am a woman of strength and fortitude. When my circumstance said I should crawl into a corner and hide, I refused. I navigated my own healing journey and I made the decision to boldly pursue everything God has for me. If I can do that, so can anyone else.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The Atlanta area has so much to offer. I think it would be important to explore the city’s culture from various angles. There definitely has to be an outdoor concert experience, a walk through the Botanical Gardens which are always so beautiful, a visit to Ponce City Market for some rooftop fun and maybe a little shopping, a trip to the High Museum for a bit of art gazing and to the Trap Music Museum for the culture, a visit to The Battery to explore all of its attractions and even a Braves game if they’re in season, time for an event at the Mercedes Benz Stadium if possible, a Hawks game if they’re playing, brunch at Toast on Lenox, a stop at Mary Mac’s Tea Room for dinner one night and a reservation for Pappadeaux (my favorite) another night, a drive through Buckhead and a trip to Lenox Mall, and finally a stop through Atlantic Station for some fun and Japanese BBQ at Guy-Kaku. In addition to all of these things, it would also depend on what’s happening while they’re visiting because there’s always something happening in and around the city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I first have to shoutout my parents for creating a safe place to land at the toughest moment in my life and a safe space to navigate the necessary journey to become an entrepreneur in the first place. None of this is possible without their support over the past 5 years. Shoutout to my son who allows me space to work my business and serve my clients, even if that means having to give up a bit of mommy time here and there. Finally, shoutout to the greatest mentor on the planet who helped me grow, heal, and evolve over the past almost 4 years so that I could be the woman I need to be to navigate every role I’m called to. Thanks to her, my soul is wealthy, I have elevated, and I am developing the essence of a Godly woman who boldly pursues everything before her.

Website: https://www.datingwithdeaudra.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datingwithdeaudra

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deaudra-reed

Twitter: N/A

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwdttc

Yelp: Not in use.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@datingwithdeaudra

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@datingwithdeaudra