About Me: In my past professional life, I was formally trained as a Social Worker and Public Administrator in Non-Profit and Governmental capacities. I spent a lot of time raising awareness about social justice issues and I carry those skills and experiences with me. I have always been a very pro-tactile person; cacti are so confusing as they sometimes look fuzzy, how unfortunate for both of us. This tactile-forward tendency was particularly notable in my professional life especially during sweater season, when I would ask folks specifically to touch their textiles to also appreciate the texture!

Favorite Cuddle Party Rule: My favorite Cuddle Party Rule is # 1; Pajamas stay on the whole time. I love it because its the beginning of the shared agreements that create our special space. I appreciate Rule # 1 because it's the first chance folks have to really show and embody (and see!) how what they contribute becomes the community we build!

What I got out of Cuddle Party personally: I came to Cuddle Parties after a serious breakup and soon realized I'd invested in intimate relationships longer than was actually beneficial because they were fulfilling a need for physical connection I wasn't even aware of! Without projecting my need for physical closeness onto an intimate partner, yet still having that need met, Cuddle Parties empowered me to separate my desire for physical connection from exclusive intimate connections. Being cuddled by others and having my gestures of affection be received well really challenges the negative parts of my mind that default to shame after disappointment and tell me I am unlovable or unworthy of healthy love. So, the framework and process of Cuddle Parties have helped me to fine-tune my self-awareness and my capacity to create healthy, intentional emotional connections.

Who I am as a Cuddle Party Facilitator / What you'll find at my Cuddle Parties: I find the experiential learning offered in the Cuddle Party curriculum around boundaries, attachment, communication, even our relationship to shame, to be some of the most valuable, yet under-rated competencies for adults who want satisfying relationships! I love creating environments and guiding a process that support these forms of self-awareness, because I find them to be transformative, liberating and not offered enough!