A man contacted Cuddle Sanctuary to ask me for advice. “How do I find a Covid-safe cuddle buddy?” Good question. If you share this query, I’d like to lay out a plan for you.

The first step – given that we’re still in a pandemic – is to safely find people also seeking connection. Begin with your family and friends. Are there any candidates in that group? (As I write this, I just received an email from a friend who asked me if I know anyone in his area who’s Covid-safe for cuddling. That’s exactly the research I’m talking about!)

If your pool of friends and friends-of-friends doesn’t pan out, it’s time to open up that search. I would consider a dating app that also has functionality for finding platonic friends. I’ve heard good things about Bumble. (Maybe you know of an even better one.)

It can be a hard step – putting yourself out there. I think apps like these take time and patience to bear fruit. Happily, there are lots of tips out there to boost your chances of a better experience.

Once you’re actually interacting with a PCB (potential cuddle buddy), I have some resources for some of the next steps. First, it could be helpful to have the language to talk about platonic touch. The Cuddle Game might help break the ice. Second, it will be handy to have a way to talk about Covid-safe practices. There’s lots of good info out there, and here’s a Cuddle Sanctuary class on the subject.

I hope the video below inspires you to take your next step. It’s a playful cuddle session with my friend Shiri – who’s part of my “quaranteam.” You can click the photo to begin!

* Creative mouse cuddle art by Lara Chandler.