Even before the pandemic took hold in 2020, Americans drifted away from their social circles, dedicating more and more time to solitary activities. This shift has deepened feelings of social isolation ...

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Shanya Luther works as a professional snuggler. She says someone stole her bright orange Snuggle Mobile trailer containing nearly $5,000 worth of snuggle material including mats, ...

For this week’s cover story, “Need a Hug?,” Jason Heller got his arms around the world of professional cuddlers. In this world, people pay to attend cuddle parties, where they can experience a ...

Everybody needs a little human touch, and one enterprising Seattle man is hoping some people will pay for it. One time actor and ballroom dance instructor Mitchell Diers has started a new business ...

A new coping mechanism is dominating the market, underlining how loneliness prompts people to venture into unknown ...

"I thought, 'Why isn't there a Starbucks for hugs, where do I go for that?' So I realized that this is a thing that should exist." Portland's professional cuddler, Samantha Hess, was sent home by the ...

A professional cuddler who makes a living snuggling with strangers and offers one-to-one sessions for £85 (over $110) says people shouldn't be ashamed of asking for a hug. Samii Wood, 41, is a ...

There’s a small boom in professional cuddlers who offer hugs and nuzzles for fees. Cuddle Up To Me founder Samantha Hess describes the business of cuddles on Lunch Break with Tanya Rivero. Photo: ...

Barbara Jones is a professional baby cuddler. The 84-year-old makes her way to Golisano Children’s Hospital every Thursday to take care of some of the hospital’s smallest and sickest babies as an ...