No nudity, no sex, just cuddles: How one woman is making a living from snuggling - but for $60 an hour, would you pay to hug a stranger?

By VICTORIA WELLMAN

The clothes stay on: Jackie Samuel from Penfield, NY, launched a business last month that charges clients for the privilege of snuggling with her

It used to be that a hug was a comforting gesture of companionship between friends or lovers but one woman in Penfield, NY has turned cuddling into a business.
Jacqueline Samuel, 29, opened The Snuggery last month, a place where, from upwards of $60, clients can snuggle with the petite Master's student in a strictly non-sexual context.
Sessions of up to 90 minutes take place in a private room while friends and family members mill around the house offering protection from any over-enthusiastic clients.

Stress relief: Aside from a love of snuggling, the Master's student also believes that Americans are deprived of physical touch that aids relaxation

For customers interested in Jackie's services, most of whom are men, she admits, a series of FAQs provides information about what clothing to wear and what kind of behaviour is appropriate.
Sexual arousal, reads the website, 'is perfectly normal and should not make anyone feel uncomfortable,' but acting on those impulses is forbidden.
'This is not about sex, and I'm really straightforward about that,' she insisted during an interview with 9WSYR.com, adding with a child-like lisp: 'I always liked to snuggle, it seemed pretty simple to me.'
But the premise behind the unusual idea is perhaps best explained by Ms Samuel's study of cognitive science and social work at the University of Rochester.

Quiet time: 45-90 minute sessions take place in a private room though other people are present in the house for Ms Samuel's safety

An advocate of the notion that 'touch' is a healing activity of which most Americans are deprived, Ms Samuel believes that just a few minutes of cuddling can relieve stress and aggravation for up to five days.
'Research provides us with ample evidence that physical contact with others has a positive effect on our physical and mental health,' she writes on her website TheSnuggery.org.

source: dailymail