I made £50k hugging people – I only paid £125 for training and charge £70 an hour, but there’s a downside

Anikó Rose, 42, is a cuddle therapist and lives in Manchester.

Here she explains how she helps clients through non-sexual physical touch therapy.

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“While we were sitting on the couch, the man I just met leaned against me and I started playing with his hair. I asked if he wanted a hug and we hugged, before lying down together so that his forehead touched the side of my face. Then I put my arms around him and felt his tense body melt into mine.

After an hour, he got up to leave and asked me when he could see me again. But it wasn’t a date – we were in my treatment room in Manchester, where I work as a professional therapist, charging £70 for an hour’s session.

It was 2021, and three years earlier, I had no idea that cuddle therapy existed. One day I was watching an episode of Law & Order in which two detectives burst into a room where a woman was hugging a man.

I was taught to discuss boundaries and concerns before the session began and to ask how the person liked to be held and touched.

The sign on her desk said she was a “cuddle therapist.” Intrigued, I Googled it and discovered it was a common therapy in America, used to treat stress, loneliness, and other mental illnesses. health conditions.

At the time, I was working in London as a nanny and was naturally attentive. Hugging children calmed them, so I could see how it could relax adults too.

I found Cuddle Professionals International, through which I was able to study for a degree to be an accredited cuddle therapist. It cost £125 and was a mix of online and in-person training, all done at my own pace.

I was taught to discuss boundaries and concerns before the session began and to ask how the person liked to be held and touched. Did they want their hair or face stroked first? And did they want a hug while standing, sitting or lying down, or a mix?

Platonic touch is a basic human need

I also learned the science behind why touch is so calming – it stimulates dopamine and serotonin, which reduces stress levels and triggers the release of oxytocin, calming the nervous system. Touch also helps reduce blood pressure and can also help relieve pain.

When I first advertised, I got a few calls from men who thought it was a cover for sexual services – but I put them in their place!

As part of my training, I became a client so I could experience cuddle therapy. Until then, I had only chatted online with my coach, but when this stranger hugged me, I just melted and almost fell asleep.

I had been single for a while and realized how much I missed non-sexual physical touch. We often associate touch with romantic relationships, but platonic touch is a basic human need.

Of course, some people are skeptical. When I first advertised, I got a few calls from men who thought it was a cover for sexual services – but I put them in their place! All therapists and clients must adhere to a strict code of conduct.

Before the session, I check that the client is over 18 years old and is mentally and physically fit, in addition to making it clear that this is a non-sexual service. We start with gentle breathing exercises to overcome any nervousness and then move on to touch therapy.

I have treated people from all walks of life. I see more men, as women tend to have more physical contact on a daily basis. Some are caregivers, who say the sessions are a sanctuary for them to enjoy a little self-care.

Many are trying to overcome childhood trauma, and I take these sessions more slowly. We can talk a little to build trust and then touch fingers to get started.

One woman had several sessions and told me it was the first time she felt safe – she was then able to receive touch for the first time in her adult life – while another stopped self-harming after four sessions.

Cuddle therapy also brought my boyfriend Cyrus, 38, into my life. He took a course of sessions for a year and, a few months later, asked to meet. Since we already had a connection, it was easy to build and we soon became a couple.

Over three years, I earned around £50,000 from my cuddle therapy, whilst still working as a nanny – but it’s not all about the money. Making people feel better is very rewarding.”

For more information visit Healingcuddle.com.

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• Words: Donna Smiley Photography: Ani Rose PhotographyKristina Sereikaite Photography, Olivia Arthur / Magnum Photos
• Sources: *Association for Psychological Science **Psychology Today ***Behavioral Medicine