While millions of people spend entire days in front of a computer or stuck in traffic, A woman in New York found an unusual way to make a living: hugging people. What began as an alternative to escape work stress ended up becoming a career that today It leaves you income of up to $100,000 dollars annuallyworking just a few hours a day.
The protagonist of this story is Ella Like, a 51-year-old former art teacher who left the classroom after more than a decade due to the emotional exhaustion he suffered in New York public schools. According to him, the work environment became too heavy due to the size of the groups, the lack of resources and discipline problems.
“I taught in urban public schools where the majority of the students were people of color and there were a lot of systemic problems in the United States,” Ella Like, a former art teacher, explained in an interview with SWNS. “The stress came from huge groups, little time for everything, behavioral problems and limited resources.”
Before changing your life, the woman earned around $80,000 a year as a teacher and worked days of at least eight hours a day. However, I felt like I needed a completely different activity to regain emotional stability.
“I was looking for something with a totally different energy, something calming and centered. I didn’t think this would become my career.“commented Ella Like, who now considers herself a professional hugger. “I just wanted something to help me protect my nervous system while I continued teaching.”.
It was in 2017 when he discovered the called “professional cuddling,” a practice focused on offering safe and consensual physical contact. After looking into the topic, he took a $300 online course and started doing it part-time. Six months later he decided to abandon teaching completely.
“In less than half a year I fell in love with the job. I asked for a sabbatical and never came back“said Like, who is currently dedicated full time to offering hug sessions. “That winter I was already working hard on this and now I have been doing it for eight years.”
At the moment charges $150 dollars per hour and, although normally works only three hours a daysome sessions can last up to nine hours. Their annual income is around $60,000 on average, although in His best years have reached $100,000 dollars.
The woman claims that Many of their clients are middle-aged men, with good jobs and, in many cases, married.. As he explains, many seek emotional connection more than a romantic relationship.
“My clients do not want to cheat on their partner or abandon their marriage, but they feel that intimacy no longer exists,” explained the emotional support specialist. “There are communication problems and a complete disconnection. They seek human contact and someone who will listen to them.“.
Although the job may seem controversial to some people, she insists there are strict rules and clear boundaries. Before accepting a client, conduct interviews and establish standards of conduct.
“There is a very clear code and firm limits,” Like said in his interview. “When someone tries to cross the line, I stop the situation and remember the rules.”.
She also noted that some people experience intense emotions during sessions, as physical contact can awaken repressed memories or feelings.
“People think they’re just paying for a hug, but that’s not the case,” Like said. “Contact activates stored emotions. Many end up saying things they had never said out loud.”
In addition to working with adults seeking emotional support, It also serves people with difficulties in interacting physically.including some patients within of the autism spectrum.
“For some people this is the first time they have experienced safe, consensual contact,” she explained. “It is a space where they can learn to connect and feel safe.”
Even though this profession has become better known in recent years, many clients keep the topic a secret for fear of being judged. Ella herself recognizes that her work has also complicated some of her romantic relationships.
“My work is emotionally intimate, but it is completely different from a romantic relationship,” confessed Like.
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