\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. No, she doesn't just lounge around in a cuddle puddle all day. Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. Massage buddies are professional licensed massage therapists offering their own unique services to treat and help clients. Start Now. You can see her on video. Professional cuddling is coming out of the shadows. Someone is going to get hurt, Hess said. As a professional Cuddle Party facilitator, I have lots of experience creating a safe environment that is conducive to connection. Please review the cuddler's profile for more details on their preferences. Maybe theyre in a marriage that doesnt have affection. Kilbride understands that morally it's a grey area when shes with someone who is not technically cheating on their spouse but who is also not telling them theyre hiring a professional cuddler. Go for a Bike Ride. In the weeks since the virtual cuddle, hes returned to the side-lounge position as a way of self-placating when he feels lonely. Subscribe for free today! Cuddle Sanctuary does not offer psychotherapy. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer. Professional cuddlers do just that! The practitioners on this site have passed the rigorous standards of our certification program. We just recommend that you shift positions and move your attention to bring the experience back to platonic. The point of those exercises was to help make feelings of anger and aggression feel more accessible to them, she explained. Location: Atlanta metro area or your location. They bring their training, integrity, professionalism and clear communication skills to every session. Anxious or overwhelmed? Stephen has Aspergers and welcomes neurodiverse and neurotypical clients. She eventually left for more "mainstream" work, she said in the Reddit AMA, because she was tired of the risk involved in going to strangers' homes and having to tell clients she wouldn't have sex with them. For folks new to the service, you can expect a getting-to-know-you process. According to Shoup, hugs increase the production of the love hormone oxytocin, which is known to help keep feelings of loneliness at bay. Our society is suffering from chronic social isolation and touch deprivation and, to make matters worse, we have also sexualized touch. Their calm and nurturing demeanor will bring you to a space of relaxation and comfort through ethical platonic touch. For Kilbride, professional snuggling can be both personally gratifying and emotionally stressful. Location: North Hollywood, CA and Chicago, IL. Weve got you. View Every Professional Cuddler from Cuddlist! Please review the cuddler's profile for more details on their preferences. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Many larger companies started their journeys as self-starters. Go for a Walk. If you are looking for a place to completely relax, let go, soak in some love, and explore how blissfully healing touch can be, youve found it. The 33-year-old waitress, who lives in Highland, New York, stumbled onto the strange world of professional cuddling last year when she Googled ways to supplement her waitressing income. Since the coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020, with forced lockdowns forcing millions into isolation, Shoup says her business has more than doubled, and her clientele base - which was once 85 percent men - has diversified dramatically. She offers both in-person and virtual sessions. "I have lots of clients who are working through various stages of grief or trauma and actually touching isnt something that we can do for quite a while until we work together for a long time," she added. "It has become a shared experience, so its no longer weird to talk about feeling isolated - its no longer a measure of you or your skills at being social. If the words professional and cuddling together sound weird to you, youre not alone. 2022 Cuddle Sanctuary. Keeley Shoup, 33, is a full-time professional cuddler from Chicago, Illinois. Setting boundaries is crucial for becoming a cuddle therapist. Please review the cuddler's profile for more details on their preferences, and instructions when booking. Location: The Big Island, Hawaii and Los Angeles, CA. If you are looking for a place to completely relax, let go, soak in some love, and explore how blissfully healing touch can be, youve found it. "I'm not a therapist," he said. With nearly a decade of experience in this field, Shawn Coleman is a brilliant and compassionate, Endlessly fascinated by how unique yet universal our experiences are, Simran is drawn to everything that makes her connect and build relationships with people. Clients leave sessions feeling held, inspired, and empowered. All rights reserved. I cant make them feel something by touching them, she said. Yes, I can." After a year of monthly professional cuddling sessions with Madelon Guinazzo, the co-founder and director of training at Cuddlist, an online directory and training platform for cuddle therapists, Mobley experimented with his first virtual cuddle in early June. Enhance mood, Feeling lonely or depressed? Visit our FAQ. Professional cuddlers are trained to alleviate stress, anxiety, and loneliness with physical touch. "Many people who wouldn't have necessarily had a reason to find themselves in isolation have now experienced it - even those who, before the pandemic, had robust support networks, such as large friend groups and family living nearby. Touch deprivation is linked to anxiety, depression, aggression, stress, violent behavior, impulsiveness, low job performance, poor relational skills, and so on. I find that one-on-one cuddling with a skillful professional can be incredibly therapeutic, nurturing . Please feel free to bring DVDs, books, and snacks. The brave new world of professional cuddling is largely unregulated, or at least haphazardly self-regulated, with few real safety standards in place. During their Boundary Sessions, Shawn models their own excellent boundaries, helps you to identify yours, and assists you in creating a plan for implementing them in your daily life. Perfect for the lone traveler looking to have a fun and easy going local experience with the bonus of a fun cuddle companion. Please provide your name and reference what service you are seeking. The practitioners on this site have passed the rigorous standards of our certification program. Earn Money on the side. But while studying psychology in San Diego, she found herself at a 'cuddle party' during her second year at university in 2002. Since 2015 I've been supporting clients as a Cuddle Therapist and Boundaries and Consent Educator in both individual and group settings. Tonya OBryan is a kind-spirited and compassionate woman that has been creating brave healing spaces for over 20 years. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. And Melas incredibly warm and snuggly! Have you ever thought that we experience our sense of touch, in contrast to our other senses, through our whole body? Trevors practice is tailored for men of all sexual orientations and identities. While representatives of Cuddle Sanctuary may make a recommendation of a practitioner, the individual using this listing assumes sole responsibility for determining whether a practitioner is appropriate for their needs. Maybe youre stressed and just want to feel peaceful. Experience the healing touch of cuddling with our growing list of 100% real and verified cuddlers. Madelon Guinazzo, cofounder of the cuddle therapy service Cuddlist, on the benefits of being touched by a stranger 5 I was more relaxed than Id ever been in my life. Others have asked to dance in public with her, or simply walk around a park holding hands. Decrease anxiety and depression. It doesnt necessarily signal intent. One question we often get is, What if I get aroused? Arousal is a natural response and nothing to be ashamed of. We cant actually cuddle but its some sort of connection.. This is the ideal, anyway. Irrespective of who we are or where we come from, we all feel the need to be cared for, looked at, acknowledged, and by extension, be touched, because it is all-encompassing. "Cuddle therapists are professionals that give access to platonic touch through boundaries of consent education for the purposes of comfort, validation, and alleviating loneliness," Shoup, the Director of Development at Cuddlist, explained to The US Sun. First timers welcome! Do you empathize easily yet know to not rush in and rescue others? She believes touch has the power to change our lives and to change the world. It got me out of that relationship. Whether you have anxiety, feeling stressed, bereaved, overwhelmed, lacking confidence issues or wish to explore the wonderful benefits of cuddles have on your health and well being, I can offer you hourly sessions of professional Cuddle Therapy, in a non-judgemental and relaxed environment. Essentially, anyone can be a cuddler, but only those trained in professional cuddling can become certified cuddle therapists and utilize cuddling as a career. Online, similar communication still has to occur, but in the absence of interpersonal touch, cuddler and client situate themselves in comfortable positions in their homes, visualizing the sensation of being held by another person and massaging themselves. Sadly, manypeople in our society come fromcommunities where they werenever,or rarely, touched by their parents, family members, or friends or only experience touch through sex. The third type of client, she says, is depressed or socially awkward, and their decision to hire a professional cuddler comes from need. Hess, too, said that her clients ranged from people who wanted to treat themselves to self care, all the way to people with autism, disabilities and disfigurements. For both cuddler and client alike, nothing quite compares to the real thing. Source. However, after consulting with Cuddle Sanctuary professional cuddlers, the group created a format they believed could leave clients feeling good, albeit only with emotional buy-in from both parties. The cuddler would like to travel to your private home, hotel, city, and maybe even your beautiful country. If they bring it up, I'll say, 'Is it time to think of something disgusting?' wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. She discussed how she smoked pot with her clients; would reprimand them -- but not end the session -- when they tried to put their hands down her pants; and that she even engaged in light "fetish" behavior, including "age play" and letting them touch her stockings. Or if they suggest we do something more, I'll remind them that prostitution is illegal in New York City, so that I'm not in the position to say, 'I don't want to f--- you.'" Nordic Cuddle therapy would you pay 65 to hug a stranger? "I'm not qualified to diagnose [clients'] problems. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Research has shown that without physical touch, were likely to experience loneliness, depression, anxiety disorders and stress. If the pandemic has taught us nothing else, we need each other more than ever. Professional cuddle organizations like Cuddle Sanctuary aim to provide clients with a sense of calm and bliss, thanks in part to the anxiety-reducing hormone oxytocin which is released in response to positive, social touch, like a hug from a friend or a nuzzle from a dog. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. The more you talk, the more word youll spread! Each cuddler sets their own rates. A session may include anything from meditation, massage, or guided stretching to dancing, singing karaoke or spooning while watching your favorite movie. I cant wait to meet you and hopefully be a part of an experience that makes your life better. "I ignore it," said Kilbride. ", In addition to Shoup's strictly platonic touching rules, there is also a minimum clothing requirement (tank top and shorts), a hygiene stipulation (general cleanliness and no overbearing perfumes), an age requirement of 18 and above, and also a rule forbidding the "exchanging of saliva.". Professional cuddling is by definition nonsexual, but the rules of cuddling felt similar to what college students today are taught to follow during sexual encounters. Would you like to build on, strengthen and improvethese abilities in yourself? 432 likes. Its OK as long as youre expecting it not to taste like lasagne.. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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