Does the Hamptons Need a Cuddling Studio?
Last week, Dan’s Papers released an article highlighting the many new foodie businesses that are coming-soon to the North Fork. I applaud those who recognize the need to open these businesses and possess the entrepreneurial spirit to do so.
Although unrelated to food or the North Fork, the “cuddling studio” has really been overlooked as a potential local business opportunity. Hamptons residents, like all people, could definitely benefit from more cuddling.
What is a cuddling studio?
In some parts of the country, people who are feeling depressed or in need of some physical attention can make an appointment at the cuddling studio. Please do not get this confused with the cuddling studio’s distant and iniquitous cousin, the massage parlor. This is 100 percent, honest-to-goodness, platonic cuddling.
There are many benefits of cuddle therapy. Lasting 60 minutes or longer, a session can release the body’s oxytocin (not to be confused with Oxycontin, an opiod pain medication), which makes people feel better.
According to Wikipedia, “Recent studies have begun to investigate oxytocin’s role in various behaviors, including orgasm, social recognition, pair bonding, anxiety and maternal behaviors. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the bonding hormone.”
While the concept is relatively new, cuddling studios have been popping up all around the country and the reviews are positive. A typical session might include activities such as hand holding, spooning, hugging and other non-sexual forms of intimacy.
On the surface, this type of therapy might seem somewhat unorthodox, but if you ask people who have participated in sessions, you’ll find a very high level of acceptance and appreciation.
In order to test the validity of these claims, I recently participated in a full 60-minute session while on vacation. It was uncomfortable at first, but I soon relaxed and spent the remaining time in a state of euphoric bliss. My “cuddling therapist” was very skilled and said she had administered no less than 2,000 sessions to date.
Does the Hamptons need a cuddling studio? You bet we do! We live in a high-stress society that often manifests itself in road-rage, anger, fractured relationships and lost opportunities. The Hamptons is not exempt from these conditions.
Do you have a better suggestion?