The Training, Certification and Membership Body for Professional Cuddlers
What Is Cuddle Therapy?
An Introduction from CPI Founder Claire Mendelsohn
Cuddle therapy is a form of safe, consensual, fully clothed touch therapy. A trained cuddle therapist provides non-sexual, platonic physical contact — holding, companionship, and presence — to address the very human need for touch.
Touch deprivation is increasingly recognised as a contributor to loneliness, anxiety, stress and poor mental health. Cuddle therapy offers a professional, boundaried and therapeutic response to that need.
Sessions are conducted fully clothed, with clear agreements in place before anything begins. A qualified CPI practitioner is trained to hold safe space, maintain professional boundaries, and work within a strict code of ethics.
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A Welcome from Claire Mendelsohn, Founder of
Cuddle Professionals International
Hello — I'm Claire Mendelsohn, and I founded Cuddle Professionals International in 2015. I've been working in touch therapy since 2013, when I opened BeSnuggled — the UK's first professional cuddle service. Before that I trained as a massage and holistic therapy tutor and companion animal bereavement counsellor. What I kept noticing, across years of practice, was that physical touch was the missing piece. Holistic massage helped my clients with their aches and pains. But the deeper need — for warmth, connection, and safe human contact — wasn't being met by anything else in the therapy room.
That's why I started CPI. I wanted to create a profession that took that need seriously: with proper training, clear ethics, professional insurance, and a membership body that supports practitioners at every stage. CPI was the first organisation in the world to offer an accredited cuddle therapy training programme. We set the gold standard — and we still do.
Whether you are an experienced therapist looking to add a powerful new dimension to your practice, a career changer drawn to this work, a prospective client, or simply curious about what cuddle therapy is — I warmly welcome you.
Claire Mendelsohn
Founder, Cuddle Professionals International
The Training, Certification and Membership Body for
Professional Cuddlers
CPI was founded to bring structure, safety and legitimacy to an emerging field. Since 2015 we have:
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Developed the world's first accredited professional cuddler training programme
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Built a worldwide directory of certified practitioners
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Established specialist professional insurance for cuddle therapists
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Set the ethical and professional standards for the field internationally
Our diploma course is accredited by the Complementary Medical Association (CMA) and the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT). Graduates hold a professionally recognised qualification — not simply a certificate of attendance — and are eligible for specialist professional insurance.
CPI practitioners are certified, insured and bound by our code of ethics. When you book a CPI-certified cuddle therapist, you can do so with confidence.
Questions About CPI's Accreditation and Recognition
Q: Is cuddle therapy accredited? Yes. CPI's diploma course is accredited by the CMA and the IICT. CPI was the first organisation in the world to offer an accredited professional cuddler training programme. Graduates hold a verifiable, professionally recognised qualification — not simply a certificate of attendance.
Q: Is there a professional body for cuddle therapy? Yes. Cuddle Professionals International is the founding professional body for cuddle therapy, established in 2015. CPI sets the standards for training, certification, ethics and insurance in the field, and maintains a worldwide directory of certified practitioners who meet those standards.
Q: What does "accredited" actually mean? Accreditation means our diploma has been independently assessed and approved by recognised professional bodies — the CMA and the IICT. For graduates, it means their qualification carries weight: accepted by insurers, recognised by employers, and a signal to clients that they trained properly.
Q: Is CPI's diploma recognised? Yes. Graduates receive a CPI diploma recognised by the CMA and IICT. This makes them eligible for specialist professional insurance, which is a requirement for practising professionally with clients.
Q: How long has CPI been training cuddle therapists? CPI was founded in 2015, making it the longest-established cuddle therapy training and certification body in the world. Since then, CPI has trained and certified practitioners across the UK and internationally.
Ready to Train as a Cuddle Therapist?
If you are a therapist, healthcare professional, or career changer interested in adding cuddle therapy to your practice, the CPI Diploma Course is the place to start.
Fully online and self-paced, it covers everything from the science of touch to professional practice, client management, ethics and business setup. On completion you receive a CPI diploma recognised by the CMA and IICT, and you can apply for specialist professional insurance.