Supporting Each Other in Accepting Ourselves
Welcome to the Collective
Your Facilitator: Ed
Age: 39
I decided to found the Bear Hugs Collective after witnessing the joy, empowerment, and emotional transformation that emerged from bear-centered body-positivity workshops in Provincetown. Even though my volunteer schedule kept me from attending the original group, I saw something powerful happening through the eyes and hearts of those attending; bears supporting bears, healing together, and finally feeling seen. I knew Rhode Island needed a space like that, and I was determined to make myself a part of it. So, I set out to help build one by educating myself through seminars, classes, and direct contact and instruction from facilitators of groups like ours.
The Rest of The Story
Like many in the bear community, I spent years feeling out of place in the wider gay world. When I finally found the bear community, I began to feel something new, something I hadn’t before: welcomed.
That sense of belonging, and the healing that followed, became the spark for reaching out, volunteering, and eventually creating workshops where men of all sizes, shapes, and identities can experience acceptance, connection, and the simple human comfort of touch without sexual pressure.
I signed up for hours of training in cuddle-group facilitation, classes in in Mental Health First Aid, and sat down with facilitators of other groups to get an idea of how they should be run and how to best provide true value to those attending.
After learning how much fun I could have doing volunteer work in the bear community, I decided to seek a chance to bring a warm, grounded presence other men who know what the struggle of feeling uncomfortable in your skin can be like (especially in the gay community). My style blends structure with playfulness; empathy with honesty; vulnerability with humor. Loud but gentle, down-to-earth, and deeply caring, I want to create an environment where participants feel safe, respected, and worthy exactly as they are.
I have experienced firsthand how transformative self-acceptance can be. As someone who lived most of my life believing he didn’t “belong” among the “beautiful gays,” someone who understands invisibility, shame, and the long road to unlearning those soul-crushing beliefs, I know we can all find our value.
It was through personal growth, community support, and starting to discover my own confidence (one piece at a time) that I came to realize something essential: loving yourself is the most powerful change you can make. When I started to treat myself as worthy, others slowly did the same. Now, I hope to help others feel that same shift, both inside and in the way they’re met by the world around them.
Outside of workshops, I'm a lifelong Rhode Islander, a proud bear, and a lover of cooking, baking, gaming, and terrible puns. I’ve spent years in customer service as a waiter, years more as a journalist helping to bring truth to Rhode Islanders, and have a lifetime of experience working with people with the developmentally disabilities, a passion shaped by my relationship with my autistic sister. My husband and I enjoy disc golfing and exploring the local community together.
I have a long-term vision for Bear Hugs Collective - A growing network of workshops and facilitators creating a place where bears, men, and anyone who needs it can gather to heal, grow, and support each other. A place where belonging is real. A place where touch is gentle, consensual, and affirming.
A place where body positivity starts with the warmth of community and sometimes, with nothing more than a hug.