Industrialization, the expansion of cities around the globe, and the emergence of new cities in most countries in the world have definitely made life more convenient for people and have increased people’s average lifespan but with industrialization and the growth of cities around the world come new challenges to people. 

Some of them are stress, loneliness, depression, fatigue, anxiety, low self-esteem, emotional hurt, hopelessness, feelings of hatred or anger towards someone, etc. People who stay with their families, friends, or relatives can at least in part cope with such low feelings but more often than not people in cities live alone with their families in other parts of their countries. 

Since it is not possible for people living alone in cities around the world to get emotional support from their families or friends all the time, there arises a need for professional cuddlers to address the emotional needs of people.

Research has shown that the sensation of touch that one gets from a hug, especially from a loved one can instantly elevate a person’s mood. Hence, it’s no wonder that professional cuddlers are in high demand around the world, especially in developed countries like the US, UK, Australia, etc. 

Professional cuddlers in developed countries earn around $80 to $120 per hour. Seeing that kind of money, you might be thinking of how you can earn as a professional cuddler in India and whether this off-beat profession has any scope for growth in India. If you’re thinking along those lines, kindly read on because we’re going to be discussing all the important aspects of being a professional cuddler in India in this article. 

Professional Cuddler Rules

If you want to become a professional cuddler in India and achieve high cuddle therapy pay rates then these are the qualities you must possess. 

Must be good at understanding sign language

As a professional cuddler, you must be apt at understanding sign language like the unspoken nos, unspoken don’ts, unspoken go there, etcetera because a few people don’t talk much and expect you to understand sign language. If you don’t understand sign language, it’ll only irritate them and some of your clients may even cancel your therapy sessions, which would be a great financial loss for you.  

Is not touch starved or affection hungry

A professional cuddler is a person who gives emotional comfort and radiates warmth to others by hugging them or cuddling with them. If you yourself are starved of human touch and affection, how can you give affection to others?

Remember that every person has an aura that he or she transmits to others. If a cuddler void of affection and human touch hugs another person, he or she is only going to drain his or her client of all the energy rather than energizing the client. So, kindly ensure that you are hugged frequently and cared for enough before joining this profession because you can only give what you have. 

Should be able to draw boundaries

A professional cuddler should be able to state clearly what he or she can and cannot do. He or she should also be able to understand the boundaries set by his or her client. For example, some clients will not want third-party cuddlers to get near or even accidentally touch their private parts. As a professional cuddler, you must respect and adhere to your clients’ preferences. 

There are also some clients who cross the line and ask for sexual favors or make uncalled-for and intimate advances. As a professional cuddler, you must be able to say a polite but assertive “no” in such circumstances and even call your company’s guards stationed outside the house to come and protect you. Your safety comes first whether it’s Diwali, travel, or professional cuddling.  

Should not get too passionate in the hugs or cuddles

As the name of the profession suggests, you are a professional cuddler and should be professional with your clients. You must not let your hugs and cuddles turn into smooches or even sex. You can only kiss your clients if it is a part of your professional service but under no circumstance can you have sex with your clients. 

Your hugs and cuddles must transfer warmth and affection to your clients while maintaining your professionalism at all times. You must also be able to listen to your clients’ stories and emotions patiently and give them emotional support without being carried away by them. 

Must be comfortable with hugging and being touched

This profession involves a lot of touching. In fact, it is the hugging, cuddling, and touching that do the bulk of the healing for your clients. Therefore, you must be comfortable with hugging and being touched. 

If you’re sensitive to being touched, it’ll make your clients feel awkward when they’re hugging you or cuddling with you. It also means that this profession is not for you. If all these professional cuddler rules are followed to the t, you will surely be earning a high cuddle therapist salary.     

The types of hugs and cuddles a professional cuddler should know about

You might be surprised to know this but there are different kinds of hugs and cuddles that a professional cuddler should know about as clients may have varied requirements. They are as described below. 

Spooning cuddle

Here the professional cuddler and his or her client sleep side by side on a bed with both of them turned sideways and facing the same direction. The professional cuddler puts his arms on the waist of his or her client and may or may not kiss the client. The shape of both of them lying resembles a spoon. That is why it is known as a spooning cuddle.

Sitting snuggle

In this posture, the professional cuddler and his or her client sit side by side on a sofa. The professional cuddler then puts one arm over the shoulder of his or her client and says comforting words to provide emotional healing and support. This pose is mainly demanded by clients who miss their friends, family, or relatives.  

Cosy turtle

This is quite an intimate cuddling posture. Here the professional cuddler lies on top of his or her client and both of them spread out and interlock their hands and legs. This posture resembles the shape of a sea turtle. 

Hence, it is called the cozy turtle posture. This is mainly demanded by clients who have recently gotten divorced from their spouses. They demand this posture because it gives them a sense of sexual intimacy without having to have sex. 

Professional cuddlers who offer this pose as a service charge a lot more for it than the other postures mentioned above because this posture is so much more intimate than the other postures mentioned above.

Happy headlock

In this posture, the professional cuddler wraps his or her arm around his or her client in the shape of a V. The elbow of one arm of the professional cuddler will rest below the chin of his or her client. This pose is mainly demanded by clients who miss their friends, family, or relatives. 

Is being a Professional Cuddler Dangerous?

Even though the line of duty in itself is not dangerous, gross miscommunication by cuddle service agencies to their customers is the primary reason behind professional cuddlers facing dangerous and awkward situations with their clients. Therefore, if you are a professional cuddler, the following are the precautions that you must take in order to offer a purely professional service to your clients and stay safe.  

Always have a clear cut communication with your clients

Firstly, it would be better if you go to your clients’ places and offer your cuddle service rather than have them visit your home because your clients might mess up your home and you wouldn’t want that. 

Secondly, always state very clearly what kinds of professional cuddle services you offer and what requests you never entertain so that you don’t have to confront or get into awkward situations with your clients. 

Only if you and your clients have an absolutely clear understanding of what kinds of cuddle services to give and expect respectively, you should go ahead with your appointments lest it would be better if you cancel them. 

Never agree to get nude or semi-nude and offer your cuddle services 

You must convey clearly to your clients that you will offer your cuddle services only with appropriate clothing which includes an appropriate casual top and an appropriate casual bottom wear. 

You must convey clearly to your clients that you will not offer your cuddle services nude or half-nude. Lastly, you must also instruct your clients to wear appropriate clothing when you visit their homes. Men should wear at least appropriate bottom wear and women should wear both appropriate top and bottom wear. 

If you and your client are nude or semi-nude when hugging or cuddling each other, things could quickly spiral out of control due to hormone rush, and your “professional cuddle service” will turn out to be not so professional after all. If you’re a woman, you must especially take care in this regard. 

Have your company’s security guards stationed outside the house for your security

Sometimes, your clients may touch you in inappropriate places or threaten you to have sex with them (even homosexual sex). In such scenarios, it is vital for you to have your company’s security guards stationed outside your clients’ homes so that they can come to your rescue. 

Your company should also have your timetable for every working day so that they know exactly where you’ll be when and with whom. These details will help your company search for you or take legal action against your clients in case calls to you are repeatedly unanswered or not reachable. 

Our Take

The professional cuddling service is quite an off-beat profession. The hypertension, anxiety, stress, fatigue, loneliness, poor physical and emotional health, heartbreaks, insomnia, lack of love and care, etcetera caused by industrialization and urbanization of the world have created a huge demand for professional cuddlers, especially in developed countries like the US, UK, Australia, Canada, etc. 

The cuddling profession in India is in its nascent stage. Presently, there are only a few startups in India that offer professional cuddling services, and that too only in certain regions or cities of India. 

However, as this profession comes to light thanks to the internet and as the cuddling profession wages are quite high in the West, you can expect a boom in this industry in the near future in India. There are a lot of unemployed youth in India who could do very well with a high pay rate like the ones offered to professional cuddlers in the West. 

So, if you want to become a professional cuddler in India and earn a high professional cuddle service compensation, just follow the guidelines mentioned in this article and you can have a safe and successful career as a professional cuddler. 

FAQs

• What are the professional cuddle service agencies in India?

Cuddlist, Cuddle Up To Me, and Cuddle Companions are the only three professional cuddle service startups in India! 

• What kind of services can one expect from a professional cuddler in India?

All kinds of hugs and cuddling with possible kissing, listening to clients’ stories and grievances, speaking in a comforting way, and interlocking hands and legs are the services one can expect from a professional cuddler in India. 

• How do cuddling and hugging relieve stress, loneliness, anxiety, and other low emotions?

Cuddling and hugging release the hormone oxytocin that gives one a sense of security and being cared for. These two feelings are so powerful that they can relieve a person from any low emotion or feeling. 

• How much do professional cuddlers get paid per hour in India?

Professional cuddlers in the West get paid between $80 and $120 per hour which on average is Rs. 8,000/- per hour. Professional cuddlers in India get paid anywhere between Rs. 700/- to 7,000/- per hour, depending on their demand and popularity. 

• What is the official name given to a professional cuddler?

A professional cuddler is called a “Cuddle Therapist” anywhere in the world. Their main motive is to provide emotional support to their clients by giving them hugs and cuddles of all kinds.   

• How often do couples need cuddling?

Married couples need to cuddle for about 40 minutes every alternate day. This keeps them sexually satisfied and emotionally well throughout their life.