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The title of “professional cuddler” is on the rise and you might want to give it a go. A lot of people feel lonely or touch starved, especially in a world where everything we do now is online, which means that this profession is gaining more traction by the day.
So if you know how to give great hugs and can get real close to a stranger in seconds, then you might be due for a career change.
What is a professional cuddler?
A lot of you might get the wrong idea and think that this is somehow about sex. While some people do include it in their hustle, most professional cuddlers only offer what is stated: innocent intimacy in the form of hugs and cuddles. If you are looking to hire one though, their boundaries will clearly be listed on their website or their ad.
Spooning and snuggling is the key part of their job, however, a cuddler will also make light conversation with you, hold hands with you and partake in any activities that a casual friend might do (video games, listening to music, watching movies). Basically, if you don’t have anyone close by (or at all) and you need human interaction, then a professional can come to your home and make you all better.
A session usually lasts 60 minutes, however it does depend on the person.
Who would hire a professional cuddler?
For a lot of people out there this profession sounds like absolute nonsense. They can’t imagine why someone would need to pay another person to just innocently touch them for an hour or so. And there are also a lot out there who think that this is plain weird, so let’s address these two issues.
Touch starvation
With our constantly modernizing world, touch starvation is becoming more and more of a problem. It can make a person feel sad if the issue lasts for a couple of days, but if they have to live out months and months without intimate human interaction, then it can certainly make them depressed too.
We shouldn’t judge those who are lonely and are looking for a companion, even if said companion was paid to be there.
Weirdness factor
I get it, going to a stranger’s house and acting like best buddies after knowing them for a couple of seconds does sound a little awkward. But there are a lot of people who are completely at ease with being familiar with a stranger. If neither party feels weird about it, then why should anyone else?
Although the role is mostly platonic, the truth is that you might encounter some awkward situations. Some people may ask for sexual favours, or want to push your boundaries and some might have less that ideal personal hygiene.
This is a real risk, and one you should consider. Most professional cuddlers will take precautions, such as ensuring that people know where they are, and booking into and out of an appointment with a coworker or trusted friend. If you are very uncomfortable, you could even use a ‘security’ person to accompany you to your appointments, at least until you’re more comfortable with the role.
How to get started as a cuddler
There are two routes you can take if you want to be a professional cuddler. Both are just as valid.
Certificates and trainings
First of all, if you want to do this as professionally as possible, then you need to get a certification. Cuddle Professionals International offers a great training program that you can do in your own time at home for £95 and you can also get your insurance for your new job from them.
You can complete trainings and programs with other organizations as well, which will ensure that you are prepared for everything during your new job.
Once this is done you can register with a website that manages a database of professional cuddlers, or you can start your own website or advertisement and try to gain traction that way. It is advised to start out with a database first, because this way you can build clientele and can leave the site once you have a strong customer base. You will likely have an easier time, as certificates can be very enticing to those who haven’t hired a professional cuddler before, which means that you can introduce these people to the industry and keep them as clients for a long time.
Jump right in
Technically speaking, you don’t need certifications to become a cuddler. Nobody requires it, you don’t need to be properly trained. However, this does leave you open to some issues, as you won’t know what’s a good boundary to have, how you should handle consent and how you should stay safe during your sessions. You will need to research these things on your own, without the help of a program.
Once again, registering with a website that has a database of cuddlers is advised, but if you feel like your marketing and social media skills are on point, then you can make your own site and market it yourself.
Eventually you will probably end up completing a training program either way, as they provide a lot of useful pieces of information that can come in handy. However, it is should be okay if you want to skip that in the beginning.
There are plenty of other unusual jobs out there… But we think pro hugging is a great one!
