WASHINGTON — Ever have one of those days when you just need a hug? Well, if you
live in Portland, Oregon, you can pop into a store on East Burnside Street and get the
embrace you crave.
Samantha Hess, a professional cuddler who has been doling out cuddles to clients since
2013, opened the first retail space for her cuddling service Nov. 15. It’s called
Cuddle Up To Me, and she says business so far has been
“insane.”
“People really are supportive of it, and we’ve got people booking out weeks in
advance,” she says “It’s been very well received.”
Cuddle therapy has been around for years. Hess says the practice utilizes
platonic, non-sexual touch “in a way that allows [customers] to feel respected, accepted and
worthy for exactly who they are.”
She adds, “We’re so busy taking care of everyone else and doing all of these things that we never
had to do before. When do we stop and take care of ourselves? That’s what the service
is about.”
In recent years, the demand for touch has grown. More professional cuddlers are opening
public storefronts — some are even hosting group snuggle parties. Hess says the boom in the industry can be
attributed to busy lifestyles.
“A lot of people really overwork themselves and we stress ourselves out and we do way
more than we should and we work harder than we should. There’s no time for us, you
know?”
Some professionals
have degrees in social work
or psychology. Hess, whose degree is in fitness, says she learned the craft of cuddling
through personal experience.
“I grew up in an Italian household. We were very affectionate growing up, and I had a
lot of positive experience with touch, and it’s really shaped who I am,” she says.
When clients come into Cuddle Up To Me, they first meet with Hess for a consultation. She gauges the
client’s needs and answers any questions.
“Once they’ve determined that they’re ready for a session, we have them pick out a
room; they can take off their shoes, and they just get comfy. And I generally will just
cozy up next to them,” says Hess, who also does standing hug sessions. “We will sometimes talk,
sometimes not; we’ll listen to music, tell jokes, read
stories, all sorts of different things.”
Clients can book sessions that last anywhere from 15 minutes to five hours at the
cost of $1 per minute.
Hess emphasizes that the cuddle sessions are in no way sexual. However, her website
does address a question that doesn’t appear on most business websites: “What about
‘natural reactions?'”
She writes, “This will happen from time to time. When these things come about we just change
positions so that it does not become a focus of the session. I make a great ‘big
spoon.'”
Uncomfortable moments aside, Hess says the benefits of cuddling are comforting and
restorative.
“We don’t connect with people anymore on a personal basis. We sit on Facebook and
play with our two-dimensional friends, but when is the last time you actually looked
someone in the eye and gave someone a real hug? And when’s the last time you actually
got to be selfish in that way? When did you actually get to have somebody take care of
you for a minute?”
If you’re hoping cuddling will catch on the nation’s capital, Hess says it could happen
soon. She’s adapting her employee training program into a certification
program for others interested in studying snuggles.
“So basically, anybody around the world can come here, take our 40-hour training
program, learn how to start a business about this, learn the intricacies of the
sessions and how to keep them positive,” Hess says.
Learn More About Professional Cuddling in the Videos Below:
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