Touch and Mental Therapy Professional

unsocial_beeunsocial_bee
in General

I know this site offers professional cuddlers, but is there a term or type of mental health therapy that involves physical touch? I've been trying to google, and all I keep getting are massage places and physical therapy for children. Is there a name for a time of therapy professional that works both in mental health and touch therapy?

Comments

  • xandriarainxandriarain

    @unsocial_bee there are all kinds of alternative therapies that combined some level of mental health care with touch. However, to be a licensed therapist, such as and LPC (licensed practical counselor) or a psychologist, you have to follow certain code of ethics in order to keep your license. And I’m pretty sure the ethics board would frown upon cuddling. I have thought about fulfilling my initial goal, which was to get a masters degree and become a LPC and combine traditional talk therapy with cuddle therapy but I don’t think I would be able to do both and keep my license.

  • cde123cde123

    I haven't heard about licensed therapists directly offering touch therapy, since even hugs are apparently controversial under their ethics codes, and romantic relationships can cause them to lose their licenses. In short, most people can't handle it.

    What does seem to be possible is therapists prescribing professional cuddles as part of therapy, or clients asking to cuddle pros during therapy sessions, with the therapist present and asking questions - at least for therapists who are open minded about new therapy techniques.

  • unsocial_beeunsocial_bee

    Thanks, @xandriarain. I wasn't aware that there needed to be separate professions.

    Thanks, @cde123. Maybe I could get a recommendation from a therapist. I've just been reluctant to search out pros on here.

  • [Deleted User]CharlesInWI (deleted user)

    The guild system is alive and well in the United States healthcare system.

    Ways to exploit suffering to make money, and of course regulating who can make that money, are the rare things that actually thrive in our healthcare system.

    We are the reason we cannot have nice things.

  • Matt462Matt462

    I have a therapy dog that I bring to therapy sessions, she’s been a big help.
    @unsocial_bee , hopefully you can find an enthusiast in your area that can give you some comfort. I’d love to help you out, if I lived closer to you!

  • unsocial_beeunsocial_bee

    I don't mind paying but was hoping for more safety protocols.

  • Matt462Matt462

    You can probably find a pro who’s willing to join you in a therapy session, just get to know them a little and make sure you communicate what you’re looking for. It would be nice to have a human therapy buddy sometimes!

  • MonkeyNeedsAHugMonkeyNeedsAHug
    edited April 2023

    @unsocial_bee

    You could try looking into somatic or somatic touch therapies. I think something like that is often considered a fringe therapy - at least in many places. So you might find people doing legit work with this name and others using the term as a euphemism.

    There is also surrogate partner therapy, which does anticipate intimate (and sometimes sexual) touch between a therapist and the client. To overcome or mitigate the risk of unethical behavior or relationships occurring, I understand that people who see a surrogate partner therapist, must also see a (separate) licensed therapist at a separate time and place, at least once for every session with the surrogate partner. I think the therapist who is not doing the touching must oversee and sign off on any touching that takes place. It strikes me as a bit clunky. But I am sure there are people who need the services, for whom the hoop -jumping is worth their energy.

  • BunnyTheCuddlerBunnyTheCuddler

    @unsocial_bee I understand your reluctance to seek out the pros here if you're specifically looking for therapeutic specific goals. But I have seen pro folks posting that have extensive training in various therapeutic techniques, they aren't state licensed therapists for the reasons listed above but I think there are are nonlicensed certifications for cuddling. And those who take the job seriously and are in this for the healing aspects clearly demonstrate that through their profile. Good luck!

  • unsocial_beeunsocial_bee

    @BunnyTheCuddler, there's a lot to vet for. It's overwhelming at times and safety is a major concern of mine.

  • BunnyTheCuddlerBunnyTheCuddler

    @unsocial_bee I totally get it! I wish you the best, you deserve a great encounter

  • cuddlefaerycuddlefaery
    edited April 2023

    I'm going to echo @MonkeyNeedsAHug - check out somatic therapy and dance therapy. Both are with licensed mental health professionals in the US (minimum of a MA in psychology plus the licensure program in their specialty for their state to practice).

    As a dancer and dance educator, I've found somatic-based therapy practices to "stick" a lot better than CBT or DBT and other talk therapies. It's particularly useful for working on trauma/PTSD, anxiety, stress, and how they impact the physical body as well as the mental and emotional.

    If you can find a dance therapist, they often can incorporate things like contact improv, partner yoga, and other touch-based modalities into your individualized program. They're not the same as cuddling, but can have a lot of the same benefits. I've been looking at going back for my MA and potentially transitioning from Ed to Psy since I have the background for it - but the Dance Therapy programs are few and far between (thus my comment on if you can find a practitioner).

    Another option to consider is instead having a holistic team - sometimes mental health professionals in private practice will team up or recommend other professionals for whom they can vouch. You can start with looking for a more holistic psychologist to begin with, particularly one who integrates somatic practices, and then ask them for recommendations for expanding into touch-based therapies.

  • [Deleted User]1_teddybear (deleted user)

    @unsocial_bee does cuddling with a woman alleviate your safety concerns any?

  • CuddleHugs01234CuddleHugs01234

    Maybe have a friend you trust be in the same house with you as you work with a pro that you feel you could try to trust.

  • RadiantHugsRadiantHugs Mod
    edited April 2023

    @unsocial_bee have you considered checking out structured group cuddle events like the ones listed on cuddleparty.com? Those have a safety container that is built before the cuddling starts and the presence of a group makes it a safe environment to explore touch with others.

    Fun personal side story - the person who introduced me to the power of cuddle therapy was a licensed psychologist. In his group therapy sessions, he allowed touch and cuddles from participants to be used as a way to facilitate the IFS therapy he was doing with clients (it was a group, but he contractually worked with each participant one on one, in turn.) The touch from the group was so effective in letting me process my trauma! At some point, he decided that this "loving presence" work that was happening in the group was not really consistent with the terms of his license, so he actually surrendered his therapy license and declared that the group would continue for those who wished to keep participating, but it would no longer be a psychotherapy group. He retired a few months after that, and it was impossible to find any other group which operated that way! In searching for that I discovered there were professionals offering cuddles as a form of therapy, and started to get sessions. Then I discovered CuddleParty, as the pro I was getting sessions from was also a facilitator and hosted them. Attending those events was transformative! After regularly driving hours each month to get to sessions and a cuddle party I decided to to the training to become a facilitator and offer them in my town. The events I regularly host now are just as much about me getting healing for myself as they are about offering a space for others to come and explore touch therapy in a safe container!

  • theHugAlchemisttheHugAlchemist

    I have gone with a client to cuddle him while he was doing deep trauma work in a few therapy sessions! (Shared here with his permission)

  • unsocial_beeunsocial_bee

    Thanks for the suggestions, y'all have been very helpful!

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