Samii Wood, a 41-year-old professional cuddler from England, hosts “cuddle puddles” every two weeks. In these group events, strangers sit or lie together with cushions and blankets. They offer each ...

It’s rare to find an industry that wasn’t steamrolled by the COVID-19 pandemic. But for professional cuddler Samantha Hess—whose job relied on engaging in hours of sustained physical contact with a ...