@White_Knight I'm not big on public cuddles, personally. I do an intro of a dinner and a movie for people who aren't ready to dive right into a private session though. This fulfills the need to talk to gain some comfort and then have some "public" cuddle time at a theater where the armrests go up. It feels a little more private since it's dark, so would be more comfortable to me.
Ah, I didn't even think about dinner and a movie. Although personally for me that would feel more like a date than a cuddle. Hehe But I can see where most clients would find that really comforting and relaxing.
Yeah, I'm just not big on PDA, so a movie is a better environment for public cuddles for me But you can't talk, so dinner (or just sitting down at a Starbucks or something) allows some conversation first. Public cuddles in general feel more like a date to me, which is why I mainly only offer it for initial meetings for people who prefer it first.
The movie cuddle is kind of a nice idea. While it kind of seems date-like, it also provides a relatively neutral place for the first meeting. Then you can move on to doing something at home, etc.
I agree with the people who say to take baby steps. I also agree that it might be helpful to start with a professional or with something that has some structure to it. My cuddle experience is mostly with cuddle parties and those spent a lot of time at the beginning focusing on consent, asking for what you want/need, and and responding to "no". The moderator also lifted the pressure of having to actually cuddle during the event.
I feel like it is important to understand that as a newbie and I am not sure that I would convey those things as well as an amateur. I suspect that trained therapists would be best at working on those things at first.
While I appreciate the suggestions for public cuddling, I have a hard time getting out of my house due to my anxiety, and I can't help but feel like it's pretending to be something it isn't. (No shade at anyone that does it, it's just the way it makes me feel.) @vernnyc I appreciate the advice. I have to say the idea of a cuddle party makes my anxiety just spike right up. All those people, and I have to pretend to be normal. lol
@mduncan50 the party is not for everyone (I honestly didn’t think I would like it the first time). But a session with someone trained to walk one through in a similar fashion might be helpful, al least the first time. It’s a good way to get your feet wet by dipping it into the pool at your own pace.
I've been cuddling, including as enthusiast, for over 10 years and cuddle parties still make me anxious. I rarely go, unless it's a small gathering of people either chosen by someone I trust who knows how to vet people and set up group dynamics or where all of the participants I already know and trust. Even then I sometimes won't go depending on how things feel for me that day. Saying this because feeling anxious about a cuddle gathering is completely normal. Starting one-on-one or in a tiny group with someone you're able to meet first and build comfort with might be most comfortable for you (because it is for me). Or, it might be some other set up that works for you. Whatever it is, best wishes!