A Workshop That Brought Me to Tears

What does it mean to feel safe enough to be fully seen, fully felt, and fully expressed?

That’s what I found myself asking during my recent experience at the Fundamentals of Embodied Intimacy workshop, hosted by the Surrogate Partner Collective. I didn’t walk in calm and collected. After a 24-hour travel nightmare, I arrived late, flustered, nervous, and unsure of what I was stepping into, and yet, by the end of the first day, I felt something shifting.

This workshop wasn't just about learning new tools (though there were plenty). It was about feeling deeply, honestly, without apology. The facilitators created such a profoundly safe space that people could cry, share, and express themselves without judgment, and I was one of them.

One of the most unexpected and emotional moments happened during a partnered exercise. We had learned about the Wheel of Consent, a framework I’ve admired for years but hadn’t had the chance to study until now and we were practicing the "Receive/Take" quadrant.

My partner agreed to let me touch their hands however I wanted. Instead of simply exploring their hands, I used their hand to gently caress my own hand, in the way I wanted to be touched.

And then, I started crying.

It was a wave of realization: I need to give myself more compassion. I need to care for myself the way I care for others. All the years I spent doing so much raising kids, building a business, holding everything together, I rarely stopped to offer myself grace. In that moment, through my partner’s hand, I gave myself compassion I didn’t know I was craving. And I cried for all the years I hadn’t.

Another powerful moment came during a nudity exercise. Yes, nudity. We were invited to stand unclothed in front of a partner and simply look at each other. Sounds simple, right?

Well let me tell you…iIt wasn’t.

I felt nervous. I prepared myself mentally and emotionally thankfully, I knew ahead of time this might be part of the workshop. But when it came down to it, standing there exposed was one of the most intimate things I’ve ever done. My partner had the most beautiful blue eyes, and as I looked at them, I began to cry again. Not out of discomfort, but from awe, connection, and gratitude.

I’ve held space for so many people in this way. I’ve seen them cry, felt their vulnerability. However this time, I was on the receiving end and it cracked me wide open.

There’s something sacred about being in a room full of people who are bravely showing up as their full selves. It felt like we were all wrapped in a collective womb of support and mutual care. It took me a little time to warm up, but once I did, I felt held. And that made me brave.

I came home with a deepened sense of compassion, not just for others, but for myself. I also left with practical tools I can use with my cuddle therapy clients, especially practices from the Wheel of Consent and somatic awareness exercises. I now have a better understanding of how to help clients connect with their bodies, understand their desires, and navigate boundaries with care and confidence.

If you’re a touch practitioner, therapist, or someone doing any kind of embodied work, this workshop will move you. And if you’ve been feeling stuck, disconnected, or longing for deeper connection with yourself or others, this kind of space can change you.

We need more spaces like this. We need more wombs of safety, more facilitators who are brave enough to be tender, and more opportunities to remember what it feels like to come home to our bodies.