Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions Page
Here you will find the answers to most of your Cuddle Queries, if you have any other questions please do not hesitate to ask.
What do I wear to our Cuddle Session?
You can wear/bring to change into any comfortable clothes you like, at least two layers for your bottom half and at least one layer for your top. If you're not able to shower for some time before your appointment you are able to bring a change of clothes and shower here, just let your Cuddle Practitioner know ahead of time.
What happens if I become accidentally aroused?
Cuddling is something many of us have only experienced directly before or after a sex act so it's not unusual for our bodies to think that's where things are headed and prepare and lead us into accidental arousal, however, that is not the right energy for our Cuddle Session, so I have a really simple 3 Step Process if we encounter accidental arousal.
1. Don't panic. Panicking is not allowed.
2. Celebrate that your bodies working. It means you're healthy and health should be cherished, after all it's not something all of us have.
3. Make a shift. I like to share in some conversation, telling either funny stories from childhood and/or having a thumb war.
What actually happens during a cuddle session? Short version
With calming music, a cool environment, and warm light, we will share in the platonically intimate social bonding activity of Platonic Touch. Perhaps you like to be nurtured, and will find yourself wrapped up as the passenger in Hug Boat receiving gentle, dancing caresses on your head, neck, shoulders, arms, and back, and, if you like, while hearing gentle affirmations that you deserve platonic intimacy, and you deserve to be nurtured. Cuddle sessions can include a range of different cuddle poses, and we can enjoy as many as you like during our session, cuddle sessions may also include conversation, story-telling, laughter, massage, tears, boardgames, movies/shows, breathwork, and I also teach self-soothing exercises.
So, what actually happens in a Cuddle Session?
The Cuddle Sessions that Snuggle Bugs Therapy offers follows a structure that the owner, Ffion, learnt while training with Cuddle Sanctuary. The structure is as follows:
Client Check-In
Snuggle Bugs asks you to arrive 30 minutes before your first appointment, and 10 minutes before every following appointment so that we have time for a Check-In conversation. During the Check--In we'll share a bit of conversation about how life has been going recently and you are welcome to share anything you would like to share. This is also when we ask your temperature and music preferences, if you'd like any music at all.
During your first Check-In your practitioner will go through different styles of touch to get a deeper understanding of what you like and don't like and that knowledge will be noted down for future sessions, and edited if it changes.
Opening Ritual
The Opening Ritual is where we first connect with touch and I offer three options.
The first option is an Oxytocin Hug, where we stand and hug each other, with the aim to hug for at least 30 - 60 seconds so there is time for Oxytocin to release and an initial chemical bonding to occur.
The second option is Companion-ing, which is sitting side by side with our entire sides touching, and we can stay in this position for as long as you would like, in silence or sharing conversation.
The third option, is we can forgo an opening ritual and slowly work our way towards physical contact.
The Cuddle
Next we move onto our Cuddle. Cuddle sessions are altered to suit the individual needs and wants of each client. The session space has a warm and inviting energy and is cooled to 22°C. There is often gentle music with a mixture of harps, flutes and crystal bowls, sometimes with nature sounds but we can change to other music or silence if you'd prefer. I have diagrams of Cuddle Positions that we can go through together, and you can pick, I can pick or we can figure something out together. Initially, clients and I use the "Ask and Wait" method to share touch, but as you continue to have sessions with your practitioner they and you might feel comfortable to instead use the "Blanket Consent" method to share touch. When booking appointments, your chosen appointment time refers to time spent Cuddling, e.g. a 60 Minute Cuddle Session will have 10 minutes before and after, to total 80 minutes, so that you can receive the most from your session.
With calming music, a cool environment, and warm light, we will share in the platonically intimate social bonding activity of Platonic Touch. Perhaps you like to be nurtured, and will find yourself wrapped up as the passenger in Hug Boat receiving gentle, dancing caresses on your head, neck, shoulders, arms, and back, while hearing gentle affirmations that you deserve platonic intimacy, and you deserve to be nurtured.
Perhaps you like to offer nurturing, and the positions will instead be reversed and I can relax into your arms as you play with my hair.
We can change and try as many different cuddle positions as you might like, and I will let you know 5 minutes before the session is ending so you have the option to try something new, revisit something you liked, or to stay as we are. Cuddle styles and preferences vary person to person and I am certain we can curate the ideal session for you.
Closing Ritual
The Closing Ritual is the end of our Cuddle, we will position ourselves so we can wrap our arms around each other and we will take a series of 3 deep breaths, squeezing one another and tensing our bodies as we inhale and entirely relaxing and falling into one another on our exhale, and on the third exhale we will burst away from each other and that will conclude our cuddle. We then have 10 minutes after your Cuddle Session to slowly transition out of the Cuddle Space, where we slowly get up, chat about the session, and get our shoes on and I'll get you a last drink of water if you need it.