Taylor Hill

Taylor Hill graduated from the Layton Auxiliary Campus of the Utah College of Massage Therapy Family of Schools in early September of 2000. Upon completion of the Professional Massage Therapy Program, Taylor enrolled in the Structural Integration Career Track that he successfully completed in December of 2000. Prior to completing his Structural Integration course work, Taylor started his private practice. He recently sent the following letter to the Career Services Department:

"Throughout my childhood and early adulthood I was always a performer. I was singing and dancing every chance I had; it gave me the opportunity to see the world via music. However, acting took its toll on me emotionally and physically. During one of my last performances as Nathan Detroit in my high school’s production of Guys and Dolls, my home burnt down. It was closing night and there was no understudy, so the show had to go on. The family home was a total loss.

"Soon after this I became very ill. Large hives four millimeters high covered my entire body and my internal organs, occasionally sending me to the hospital. The only effective treatment that appeared to lessen the pain was various forms of steroids. I went from 100 to 250 pounds in just six months time. Despite my unexplainable illness, I decided to enroll in the Utah College of Massage Therapy. Just days later my father died unexpectedly of heart failure at age 45. Six weeks later I decided to go ahead with college.

"Within the first month of school, my hives disappeared never to return again and my weight slowly began to stabilize. But more struggles followed as I strove to be a good student, be with my family in times of need, and take care of my own physical and emotional health. Because of these variables beyond my control, I graduated a month behind my class. But I did it! I graduated as a very competent polymodal massage therapist. Not long after I left the core program, I entered into the Structural Integration Program D55-DT. A whole new world opened up to me. I, myself grew 3 inches physically and several feet in other aspects of my life. I graduated on time with a 4.0 ready to start my own business called The Human Body Mechanic.

"Business was/is tough. It started as home visits, then to private contracting with a nail salon (both of which failed and made me miserable.) I then decided to give the world in Utah one more chance to take what I, "The Human Body Mechanic", had to offer. I found an office in Sugarhouse and finally things started to come together. I worked hard to establish working relationships with medical doctors, psychotherapists, and occupational therapists. Now I help people struggling with problems ranging from anorexia to multiple sclerosis. Helping individuals that can and want to change and move beyond health into wellness is my focus.

"I have an intense love for learning, and study topics within my profession as well as improving upon the general knowledge of the world around me. In my spare time I have found that I have a gift for working with animals (although this is not on my menu of services…yet). So, for the sake of self-enrichment, I started studying comparative anatomy and began to map meridian pathways in animals ranging from cats to ostriches. Truly, Andy Crow, Rolfing Master of the UCMT Structural Integration Program, kept his promise to me when he said ‘In this field…You will never be bored again!!!’

"Where will I go from here? Who/What is it I am meant to help? I don’t know. As a man of twenty years I think I’ve done pretty well. I would like to keep all my doors open. After all, I have been endowed as a polymodal therapist. The possibilities are endless. I love what I do even though it definitely has its struggles. When I am in my office, I truly work in paradise and UCMT helped make it happen."