In this episode we’re talking about something most of us need more of yet don’t know how to ask for: safe, platonic touch.

My guest is Michelle Renee, a human connection coach, certified cuddle therapist, and co-owner and Director of Training at Cuddlist.com. She helps individuals reconnect with their bodies and rewire the stories they’ve been told about intimacy, touch, and self-worth.

This conversation is honest, tender, funny, and deeply human. If you’ve ever struggled with touch, consent, vulnerability, or connection — this one’s for you.

Michelle Renee (she/her) is a human connection coach based in San Diego. Through cuddle therapy and consent-based coaching, she helps individuals — especially trauma survivors — build emotional safety, reconnect with their bodies, and explore new ways of being in relationship. She’s the co-owner of Cuddlist, host of The Intimacy Lab podcast, and founder of Soft Cock Appreciation Week, a virtual event redefining narratives around male sexuality and pleasure.

• Website: https://meetmichellerenee.com
• Newsletter: bit.ly/mmrnewsletter
• Instagram: @meetmichellerenee
• Cuddlist Training Info: Cuddlist.com
• Soft Cock Appreciation Week: softcockweek.com
• The Intimacy Lab Podcast: intimacylabpodcast.com
• Nathan’s episode on Intimacy Labs

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Blue Sky

In our inaugural episode, we sit down with Sara Schairer, compassion educator, speaker, and founder of the nonprofit Compassion It.

We explore what compassion really means, how to practice it in everyday life, and what it takes to bring compassion into workplaces, systems, and even our political conversations.

Sara shares how her own personal crisis led her to launch a global movement, what she’s learned from training thousands of people, and how she builds connection even in rooms full of skeptics.

• The neuroscience and psychology of compassion as a practice
• Systemic compassion: what it looks like when compassion is built into policies, HR, and culture
• The limits of compassion under capitalism and inequality
• Bridging political divides with curiosity instead of judgment
• Practicing compassion toward public figures (even when it’s hard)
• Self-compassion and community support as survival tools

Sara is a compassion educator, speaker, and founder of Compassion It, a nonprofit organization and global movement inspiring daily compassionate actions. She’s a Stanford-trained instructor of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) and the author of A Case for Compassion: What Happens When We Prioritize People and the Planet.

Sara has led workshops and trainings around the world for Fortune 500 companies, universities, nonprofits, and government agencies, helping people strengthen relationships, reduce burnout, and foster more humane organizations.

📚 Book: A Case for Compassion on Amazon
🌍 Website: https://compassionit.com
🔗 LinkedIn: Sara Schairer
🔗 Compassion It on Instagram & YouTube

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Our introductory episode.