Connection & Presence Sessions: Deep connection. Safe touch. True listening.

These sessions offer a calm, grounded space to reconnect to yourself through conversation, presence, and — if you choose — comforting, consent-based touch.

Every session moves at your pace and follows your needs.

This is not therapy. This is human connection offered with care, consent, and respect.

Sometimes we talk. Sometimes we sit in silence. Always, we honor what feels right for you.

Offering coregulation, connection, and felt safety. I'm capable, sturdy, and here for you. 💜 

Whether you’re longing to be held, looking for grounded emotional support, or exploring how safe, platonic touch can help you thrive, I'm here to walk beside you.

I offer co-regulation, connection, and felt safety. I’m capable, sturdy, and deeply present. My work is about creating safe, consent-based spaces where your nervous system can soften, your story can be honored, and your body can begin to trust again.

This is a space for slowing down, remembering you’re not too much, letting your guard down—just a little, and practicing what it feels like to be supported, seen, and met with care.

Over the past 9+ years and 1,300+ hours of in-person sessions, I’ve supported clients from all walks of life, including those navigating:

Touch deprivation and attachment wounding

Boundaries, communication, and relationship repair

Identity exploration and life transitions

Our sessions may include cuddling, conversation, silence, laughter, guided practices, or simply breathing together. Some sessions begin with touch. Others don’t include touch at all. We move at your pace.

While I am not a therapist, my work complements therapy beautifully, especially for clients doing deep trauma work. I often collaborate with trauma therapists to offer body-based, real-time relational experiences that help clients integrate what they’re learning in talk therapy. This work can be powerfully reparative and co-regulating.

Experience gentle, nurturing touch without expectation

Learn and practice healthy boundaries and communication

Feel deeply accepted, without needing to perform or explain

Build capacity for connection, presence, and emotional safety

You don’t need to be “fixed”. You aren't broken. You are human. And you don’t need to know what you need in order to reach out. If something in you is curious, we can begin there.

Trained and practiced in surrogate partner therapy work (2020–2024), now integrated into my trauma-informed approach

Co-owner & Director of Training at Cuddlist.com

Trauma-informed training and experience with CPTSD and attachment injuries

Big fan of nerdy book chats (some favorites: Complex PTSD, Mother Hunger, The Emotionally Absent Mother, When the Body Says No, and recently Dissociation Made Simple)

Neurodivergent-friendly and welcoming of all identities and lifestyles. Your “weird” isn’t weird to me. You’re welcome just as you are.

Thanks for being brave and asking for the kind of connection you want. You deserve it.

“Michelle is a passionate, ever-evolving professional. Over the course of the years that we’ve been colleagues, I’ve always benefited from her loving, kind, bright presence. I trust Michelle and refer clients to her regularly. If you’re considering her services, I strongly recommend that you get to know this caring practitioner.” ~ Jean Franzblau, Cuddle Sanctuary

More testimonials are available here, and be sure to join my mailing list!

Curious about what a session looks like? Check out this training video example .

If you'd like to request a session, hit the "request a session" button above or visit my website here .

Cuddlist.com

here

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Please watch for an email after you request a session. I’ll send a link to schedule a call so we can learn more about each other.

RATES | Part of our intake process will include determining your rate for service. I want to be able to offer this work to historically underserved populations while abstaining from burnout so I can bring my best self to all of my clients.  My standard rate is $200 and you are welcome to self-determine from $130-$275/hour.

TRAVEL FEES | There is a $50 travel fee for out-call sessions in western San Diego County. If traveling outside of that area, there may also be a minimum day rate in addition to a travel rate of $50/hour of total drive time. I’m happy to travel across Southern California and offer Fly Me to You weekend intensives. That said, San Diego is a beautiful destination if you’d like to fly to me. Please inquire.

LOCATION | I’m available for incalls in San Diego at two locations.

My home studio is located in Rancho Bernardo. This location requires the use of stairs into the second-floor space. This is also a pet-friendly space, including 2 cats and a small dog.  The small dog, Dax, is welcome into the session if you’d like; otherwise, he will not be joining us. Please be sure to let me know, as I always assume he’s not included.

I also have a cuddle studio in Imperial Beach, right on the water.  Let’s cuddle and listen to the waves together!  This location requires the use of stairs into the second-floor space.  This is a pet-free location with reserved parking spot.

I’m also available for incalls in Orange County on the first Friday of the month and in the Los Angeles area on the 2nd Friday of the month.

I also see clients in the Baltimore/DC area quarterly. I'm currently booking sessions for Saturday, June 28th near BWI.

Outcalls are available across San Diego County and surrounding areas.  If studio accessibility is an issue, please reach out. I have options.

To get the most out of what you are looking for from your session, please review the Code of Conduct and view some Cuddlist videos.

Michelle Renee

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About Michelle Renee

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