This Kansas woman has one of the most unusual jobs ever. She’s paid to cuddle with others as part of a growing movement that promotes the benefits of touch-based therapy.
For Robin Marie, her job helps her bring people closer together. As a professional cuddler, she comforts, soothes, and nurtures.
For her, her job is a strictly platonic experience.
The Power of Touch & Its Health Benefits
Marie explains that she believes in the healing power of touch and that it has the ability to help people heal. This could be as simple as sitting on the couch next to someone.
Or, holding someone’s hand. Sometimes though, this can even include laying on a bed and spooning. She’s been working as a professional cuddler for more than a year.
She got her certification through Cuddlist, a website. She charges $80 per hour and has clients of all ages, from 20 to 75 years old.
She earns $40K yearly and spends around 45 hours per week snuggling, hugging, and spooning with her clients.
They hire her through Cuddlist from where she also got her certification.
How Did Marie Become a Professional Cuddler?
In order to become a professional cuddler, Marie underwent a training process and a practicum.
She also agrees with each of the clients, before the therapy session begins, that if any of them feels uncomfortable, they will say it.
The hugging can be done in any way that the client wants. For example, sitting, standing, lying, etc.
Marie explains that cuddling helps people feel more connected to others and more comfortable in their own skin. She explains that touch does this for us through the release of oxytocin.
One of her clients, Amy Thompson, says that she believes the physical touch may help get a better grasp of consent. The 27-year-old notes that there’s a major consent crisis.
People can’t communicate properly with each other. So, being in a safe place with a professional like Marie has been very beneficial for her and for so many other people.
Robin says that she spends 25 hours cuddling her clients for work. Then, she spends around 10 hours per week cuddling her partner, and around seven hours per week cuddling her cat.
When asked if she ever gets bored from cuddling and hugging, Robin says that this never happens because it’s a rewarding activity.
Thanks to the release of oxytocin, the hormone of connection, cuddlers report feeling less stressed and happier.
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