“Nordic Cuddle.” Founder Rebecca Mikkola
CUDDLING is a new form of Physical and Mental Therapy, aka, Hugging!
The company’s name is “Nordic Cuddle.” Founder Rebecca Mikkola uses tactile therapy to get up close and personal in the name of relaxation and a sense of well-being.
Big city life often dictates that you shouldn’t so much as make eye contact with a stranger, let alone wrap your arms around them and give them an up-close and personal hug. Not having regular human touch has actually proven to be deadly in newborns and can make a lonely adult feel discombobulated and depressed. It is a major reason “Nordic Cuddle Treatments” have proven to be so popular and have created a positive new business model.
If you’re feeling imbalanced, a warm embrace (a cuddle) can return you to calm and serenity, and few service marketing campaigns deliver exactly what the brand name implies. The process goes like this: you (male or female) make an appointment, read and accept the strict guidelines and rules, then show up at the “Nordic Cuddle” studio clean and in clean and baggy sweats. Your session amounts to holding hands, then hugging and relaxing together with a Nordic (Finnish) female practitioner for an hour or more.
Ask yourself… “How many spouses hug for an hour in one sitting, or even for more than a minute?” That is why this concept is so out of the comfort zone for many people, even though scientific evidence shows human touch is needed to thrive. We interact with people all day, but without a personal relationship, daily interactions lack the depth of connection needed to include touching. In most cases, social touching is definitely inappropriate and crosses a very big line.
In a cuddle session, it’s not necessarily only about the hugs, the big benefit is the actual connection, sharing emotions, showing attention, listening, understanding and being present in the moment. There is a power in that connection it has a profound impact on self-esteem.
“The sessions start by sitting facing each other, holding hands with our eyes closed, before standing and hugging. You can feel your heart racing, but soon enough the pulse lowers, shoulders loosen, and fingers stop trembling – you have just relaxed!” Rebekka says: “I’ve realized that in connecting with others, we can actually relate to ourselves more. In my experience, it can be good for my self-actualization.”
“During the session, our breathing regulates, and the experience proves utterly soothing. After standing and hugging, we sit and hug. Finally, we recline on the couch and cuddle, both facing the same direction. At this stage, the client and the practitioner have known each other for only a matter of minutes, yet there is now a serene feeling and no trace of awkwardness. In fact, sometimes one or both of us, actually nod off to sleep. In an age when we communicate mostly through electronic devices rather than talking, it is refreshing to experience such closeness.”
The next time you feel like going clubbing is your only option for interactions with others, you might try Cuddling therapy!
The cost is currently $50 for one hour. There are strict rules of conduct because the session is totally non-sexual. The session will end abruptly if anything inappropriate is encountered by the practitioner! There is a period of adjustment to being close to a stranger, so trust must be at the forefront of this process.
Rebecca Mikkola works at her Cuddling Therapy studio in London, UK and is franchising this concept.
(Source: Nordic Cuddling website / https://www.nordiccuddle.com/.)
