Have you completed your cuddle therapy training, but now you’re asking yourself “What do I do next?!”
There are so many great certification programs for us professional cuddlers, but what those programs don’t always include is extensive training around how to build a successful practice. Your certification can only get you so far if you don’t know how to successfully run a business with clients who keep coming back.
Does this sound like you?
→ You’ve taken a cuddle therapy training, but you feel nervous, anxious and maybe even underprepared to actually work with clients—therefore, you aren’t!
→ You’re listed on some cuddle sites, but you can’t figure out why you aren’t getting any requests. It’s crickets out there.
→ Even if you were to get a client, the logistics of having a session freak you out! What if you mess up?!
→ If you are getting clients, they aren’t coming back, and they aren’t telling you why! Ugh!
…I have a solution for you, friend
Cuddle Career: Foundations
Let me get real with you right now:
It doesn’t matter if your bookkeeping is up-to-date and you have pretty business cards if you only have 2 clients and you’re not even sure if or when they are going to come back.
(yea, I said that—it’s ok, I’ve been there too—that’s why I created this course)
Unless you are swimming in inquiries and bookings, there is no reason why your focus shouldn’t be on mastering the skills to build a consistent clientele.
This course teaches you exactly that.
You have learned the theory of cuddle therapy in your certification training, but mastering what that actually looks like in practice is a totally different beast.
This course not only gives you the skills to connect more deeply and effectively with your clients (which is the secret to long-lasting client relationships), but the logistical business know-how to build the thriving practice you dream of.
I'm so glad I connected with Sam and completed this course. My confidence in myself to do this work has grown, and my practice has grown as well. It was very valuable to learn about how to work with clients as well as run a business. I also appreciated the opportunity to connect with other Cuddlers. I feel more connected to the Cuddle community and have gained valuable tips and skills to continue doing this work.
- Tamreh Herlihy
Here’s what you’ll learn:
I’M CERTIFIED—NOW, HOW DO I EXPLAIN WHAT I DO?
Professional cuddling is still a very new and growing field (I mean, is it cuddle therapy—or is it professional cuddling? Even this is still up for debate).
Once you get certified to be a cuddle therapist, explaining what you do to people in a way that will be not just well-received, but understood and even respected seems like a whole other battle.
However, IF you can nail this part with confidence, people you talk to will talk to other people about you, which is the ultimate way of getting new clients.
We get this taken care first and foremost, so you can start confidently spreading the word about the amazing work you do and the benefits it provides.
ALLLLL THE LOGISTICS
From “thanks to reaching out,” to “see you again!”, we will cover every step of the way to a successful session that ends up leading to a long-term client.
“How do I screen a client? Where do I work with clients? How do I get paid by them? How do I end a session? What contact info should I give them and what should they give me? What do I do if the client is more nervous then I am? Does anybody else ask all of these questions?!” (and yes, everybody asks these questions—how do you think I could type them up so easily :D)
The questions are practically endless when starting this work.
After 8+ years in the field, I have heard them all, and take almost 2 modules to cover all the bases so you not only feel professional, but confident from first connection, to end of session.
NEXT LEVEL CONNECTION
If people wanted a body pillow—Amazon exists!
If clients wanted an easy-going conversation with the local-bartender type of rapport…well, they would go to a bar (it’s much cheaper!)
What are you offering that other people (and objects) are not?
We go beyond the basics of empathy and active listening. Those elements are just the beginning of this work and to truly build a successful cuddle practice you must go deeper.
We teach connection in a way that will not only translate in your sessions, but outside of them. When you effectively connect with a client, they trust you more, they are more transparent with you, and you can understand why people do what they do much more clearly. This leads to far more effective and effortless work, and clients come back for months, or sometimes even years.
GROWING YOUR CUDDLE CAREER
Most people wanna know how to get clients.
The secret starts with knowing how to be such a good cuddler that they come back. We cover a lot of that in the beginning modules of this course.
The next step is follow-up with clients, allowing them to keep coming back with ease. In this section, we cover how to properly follow up in a way that will yield results (aka returning clients, yay!) but not annoy the crap out of people.
We also talk about the essential systems set-up of your business so that once you get rolling, things can flow easily and like a well-oiled machine.
This is what student
Xandria has to say
When I signed up for this course, I was in a real rut in my cuddling practice; I was at the point where I wasn’t sure if I could continue to stay afloat as a full-time cuddle therapist much longer. When I first started cuddling, I was an overnight success because I was young and pretty, and I was the “new kid on the block”. I had the attitude that I was gracing clients with my presence rather than truly being present for them. In this course, Sam set me straight, she taught me how to add value to my clients' lives and how to show up for them and hold space in a session. She helped reshape the way I approached my practice, and thanks to her mentorship, I was able to not only stay afloat but also open a second location within a few months of taking her course. -Xandria Schaeffer, Cuddleworks.net
About Your Instructor
Hi, I’m Sam!
I’ve been a professional cuddler for over eight years, and I’ve come a long way from when I first started.
During my first year in business, I was too scared to admit to almost anyone I was doing professional cuddling! And worse, so many people came to see me and pushed my boundaries physically and emotionally.
The next year? I didn’t know how to talk to anyone about this work. I even got kicked out of a networking event at one point (they were convinced I was “not platonic”)!
Meanwhile, most of my cuddle sessions felt good but…I struggled to get people to come back.
Sure, I was good at cuddling, being professional, and being empathetic and conversational with my clients. But I kept getting told “You’re a nice girl and I enjoyed cuddling with you,” and then I never saw them again.
What was wrong? Was I actually helping people? I questioned this knowing I was helping people somewhat, but I was barely able to sustain my professional cuddle practice.
It wasn’t until my third year when I learned what I was missing.
Most people needed a different type of emotional connection than what they normally experience on a day-to-day basis. Rather than just validating my clients' emotions, I was really trying to understand my clients' world and how they experienced life.
When I started changing how I connected with my clients, they started to come back. I was able to give them something in a cuddle session that they simply couldn't find anywhere else.
Suddenly, my clients weren't just coming to cuddle with my body (let's be honest, this can be part of it without a deeper meaning to your work.) As I understood the very intricate art and emotional piece of this work, my entire practice changed.
Not only was I now seen as a professional in the eyes of my clients, but I was understood and respected by my friends, family and peers. I felt like I had a real career again.
I finally had confidence in what I was doing.
Looking back, when I was just frantically trying to figure this out, I wasted so much time, money and energy on things that I thought were good business investments.
It's really hard to know what will work in this industry or where to focus because this is such an UNSATURATED industry and the education is simply not there (yes, I said unsaturated--we need more of us cuddlers!).
Every week I get emails about how to get started in this work. I’ve struggled on where to point them because most courses only cover select sections of this work. This means you are typically left with even more confusion and questions after only learning about a niche topic.
I never came across a real straightforward and all-encompassing guide for finding success as a cuddler, both in sessions and as a business owner (BOTH are critical to finding success in this industry).
So after lots of searching for a good comprehensive course on all things cuddling to no avail, I decided to make it myself. That is how Cuddle Career was born.
Here’s what Chris has to say:
"Sam is a thoughtful, thorough teacher and facilitator who has been around the block in the professional cuddling world. She delights in sharing her knowledge and experience with her students. I very much appreciate the effort and intention she puts into creating comprehensive yet concise course material, and I admire her emotionally intelligent approach to interacting with clients."
-Chris Hallet, cuddlewithchris.com
READY TO JOIN US?
Choose the option that best suits your needs.
Register for just the Cuddle Career: Foundations course, or tack on monthly live office hours with Sam herself, where you can ask all your questions, get feedback and problem-solve as you start to implement what you learn!
Course Only
+ 7 Pre-Recorded Modules
+ 15 plus hours of Pre-Recorded Content
+ Private Facebook Community for Students
+ Action Items and Worksheets (aka Fun Sheets) for every module
+ Weekly emails with check in’s for first 8 weeks
Course + Office Hours
+ Everything listed in course
+ 6 Months of Monthly Office Hours with coaching with Sam (a $350+ value)
+ Access to the recordings of the Office Hours if you are unable to make it
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Cuddle Career: Foundations start?
This course is evergreen, which means you can start the course work essentially the minute after you hit “purchase”! We did this because we know that people are starting their cuddle careers every day and need this foundational information at different times. Also, many certification programs are also on-going, or evergreen, which means you could easily begin this program after you get your basic certification. However, we do love having a “live” element to our courses, which is why we offer monthly office hours for an additional fee (listed at checkout.) This is a great way to get your questions answered by Sam and get feedback and support from a community of cuddlers!
2. How much of a time commitment is this course?
We suggest that you put about 2 hours a week on your calendar to go through lessons. You will also have lifetime access to the lessons, so you can review them as often as you need!
3. Are classes and lessons live?
All lessons are pre-recorded so you can go through the course at your convenience. However, the office hours/Q and A with Sam (available at an additional fee) are live online monthly, so there is plenty of time to get live feedback and coaching on what you are working on!
4. Should I buy the office hours add on?
Of course, we are going to say yes to this. But here is why:
There is a difference between learning/knowing something intellectually, and putting it into practice. Sometimes we can think we have a really good grasp on a concept, but when it comes to actually applying the information, or taking action on an idea or strategy, we can freeze.
This is where the office hours with Sam becomes such a huge benefit to making sure you actually utilize this course to its highest potential.
Every month Sam is available for trouble-shooting and feedback as you put these strategies into practice. With 8+ years of experience, Sam has seen and heard it all, and can most definitely help you navigate even the most off-the-wall of experiences!
5. Can I be a cuddler without this course?
Of course you can be—there is no governing body or licensing to prevent that. But the question I would ask you is if you haven't started yet, or seen the momentum you want to see, what are you going to do to change that? And, more so, what kind of cuddler do you want to be? Yes, there are other courses out there, and you can always learn from the school of hard knocks, but Cuddle Career: Foundations is designed to be comprehensive and give you literally all. the. steps. you need build your business with ease and success.
6. Why should I be spending money on this online course? I have a hard time doing courses that are self-paced.
First off: hard same. As a serial course-buyer, I am definitely guilty of buying courses and not finishing them.
Secondly, we accounted for this very thing by adding in specific action items to every single module where you need to reach out to Sam and send a couple sentence email with what you learned or what you are applying.
We also send emails regularly through a 8 week period from the time you buy the course to check in on your progress.
Lastly, this is why we are such proponents of purchasing the office hours. You then have a monthly date on the calendar when you are checking in live with Sam, talking progress and discussing any roadblocks that may be preventing you from moving forward.
