ABOUT YOUR HOST:My name is Doug Pouliot and I am a Cuddle Party facilitator.During Covid, I didn't get touched by a human for two years. I developed anxiety. It was awful. In 2021 I discovered Cuddle Parties. Which gave me a structure to connect with people and remind myself that it ok to ask for the kind of nonsexual touch I needed. In addition I have found using the language of consent valuable helping to clarify my yes's and no's as they come along. Prior to covid I was hosting barefoot dance events in Hartford Connecticut. I have been participating in the Dance New England and Human Awareness Institute (HAI) communities for many years. I look forward to meeting you and the journey of healthy touch embodied connection that we will explore together.I take a playful approach to hosting cuddle parties. They are, by nature, awkward, so I lean into awkward by being playful. I often bring to my parties' mermaid tails, a unicorn sleeping bag, a wooly mammoth, hippo and alien.