Discovery

What Is Discovery?

Discovery is Helm's built-in matching feature for finding compatible kink partners. Located in the Cultivate section of the app, Discovery lets you browse profiles, express interest, and connect with people who share your interests and dynamics.

Before using Discovery, you must complete age verification and set up your Discovery profile. This ensures a safe, verified community for all users.

Setting Up Your Profile

Your Discovery profile is what other users see when browsing. A complete, thoughtful profile significantly improves your chances of finding compatible matches.

1. Navigate to Your Profile
   Go to Cultivate → Profile (or navigate directly to /cultivate/profile).
2. Add Photos
   Upload a primary photo and any additional photos you want to share. Your primary photo is the first thing other users see.
3. Set Your Relationship Role
   Choose the role that best describes you. Available roles include: dominant, submissive, switch, master, slave, daddy dom, little, brat, primal, pet, rigger, rope bunny, exploring, and kink curious.
4. Write Your Bio
   Write a bio that describes who you are, what you are looking for, and what matters to you in a dynamic. Be genuine — authenticity attracts better matches.
5. Add Interests and Lifestyle Tags
   Select tags that reflect your interests and lifestyle. These help the matching algorithm find compatible partners.
6. Set Orientation and Relationship Goals
   Specify your orientation and what kind of relationship you are seeking. This ensures you are matched with people who share your goals.
7. Optional Details
   Optionally add your height and location. Location enables distance-based matching so you can find people near you.

Browsing Profiles

The Discovery feed displays a grid of profiles from other verified users. You can browse through profiles and use filters to narrow down what you are looking for.

Available Filters

Filter	Description
Age Range	Set minimum and maximum age preferences
Distance	Filter by proximity (requires location to be set)
Online Status	Show only users who are currently online
Verified Only	Show only users with verification badges
Roles	Filter by relationship role (dominant, submissive, switch, etc.)
Tags	Filter by interests and lifestyle tags

Click on a profile card to view the full profile with all photos, bio, and details. The feed uses infinite scroll to load more profiles as you browse.

Matching

Discovery uses a mutual-interest matching system. Both users must express interest before a connection is made.

1. Like a Profile
   When you find someone interesting, click Like to express your interest. The other person will not know you liked them unless they also like you.
2. Pass on a Profile
   Click Pass to skip a profile. You can always come back to it later.
3. Get a Match
   When both you and another user have liked each other, it is a match. You will both receive a notification.
4. Start a Conversation
   Matches unlock messaging. Navigate to your matches to begin a conversation.

Messaging

Once you have matched with someone, you can start a private conversation. All Discovery messages are available from Cultivate → Messages.

Message Features

• Real-time messaging: Messages are delivered instantly via WebSocket
• Text messages: Standard text conversations
• Image sharing: Share images within your conversations
• Read receipts: See when your messages have been read
• Typing indicators: Know when the other person is typing

Conversation Management

• View all conversations sorted by most recent activity
• Unread message indicators show new messages at a glance
• Block or report a match directly from the conversation

Private Albums

Private albums let you share additional photos with specific matches on your terms.

• Create albums: Organize private photos into albums
• Grant access: Share an album with specific matches
• Revoke access: Remove access at any time — the match will no longer be able to view the album

Private albums give you full control over who sees your private content and when.

Privacy and Safety

Discovery is designed with privacy and safety at its core. You have full control over your visibility and what information you share.

Incognito Mode

Enable incognito mode to browse Discovery without appearing in other users' feeds. While in incognito mode:

• Your profile is hidden from the Discovery feed
• You can still browse and like other profiles
• Existing matches and conversations are unaffected
• Toggle incognito on or off at any time from Discovery Settings

Privacy Controls

Choose exactly what information is visible on your Discovery profile:

Setting	What It Controls
Online Status	Whether others can see when you are online
Distance	Whether your approximate distance is shown to others
Age	Whether your age is displayed on your profile
Orientation	Whether your orientation is visible

Blocking Users

Block a user to prevent all further interaction:

• They cannot see your profile in Discovery
• They cannot send you messages
• Existing conversations are hidden
• The block is silent — the other person is not notified

Reporting Users

Report inappropriate behavior to keep the community safe:

1. Open the user's profile or conversation
2. Click the menu (three dots)
3. Select "Report"
4. Choose the reason (harassment, fake profile, inappropriate content, etc.)
5. Add details if needed and submit

Verification Badges

Users who have completed biometric age verification display a verification badge on their profile. Look for this badge to confirm you are interacting with a verified member of the community.

Discovery Settings

Manage your Discovery preferences from Account Settings → Discovery.

General Settings

• Toggle Discovery: Turn Discovery on or off entirely
• Incognito Mode: Browse without appearing in feeds

Notification Preferences

Notification Type	Description
New Matches	Get notified when you match with someone
New Messages	Get notified when a match sends you a message
Profile Views	Get notified when someone views your profile

Privacy Settings

Control your visibility and what information is shared. See the Privacy Controls section above for details on each setting.

Graduating a Match

When you have found the right person and are ready to take things further, you can "graduate" the match. Graduating transitions your Discovery connection into a formal hierarchy or dynamic within Helm.

1. Open the Match
   Navigate to your conversation with the match you want to graduate.
2. Select Graduate
   Click the "Graduate Match" option from the conversation menu.
3. Assign Partner Role
   Choose the role this person will hold in your hierarchy or dynamic.
4. Configure Visibility
   Optionally hide both Discovery profiles so you no longer appear in other users' feeds.
5. Create Initial Contract
   Optionally create an initial contract or agreement to formalize the dynamic. This can be edited later from your hierarchy settings.

Tips for Success

Profile Tips

• Use clear, recent photos that show your face
• Write a bio that reflects your personality and what you are looking for
• Be honest about your role and experience level
• Keep your profile up to date as your interests evolve

Matching Tips

• Read profiles thoroughly before liking or passing
• Use filters to focus on what matters most to you
• Quality matches come from genuine interest, not volume
• Be patient — the right connection is worth waiting for

Conversation Tips

• Introduce yourself and reference something from their profile
• Be respectful and communicate clearly
• Discuss boundaries and expectations early
• Move at a pace that is comfortable for both of you