Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carolyn Hill. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Carolyn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My mission in my massage practice is to create a safe place for every client to experience healthy touch. In that safe space, there are proper boundaries and ethics, where I hope to make a significant impact and vastly improve the quality of life through bodywork.
I have received healthy touch throughout my life, and I am very grateful for that. Many have not had that life experience, and through my practice, I can help rebuild what healthy touch means to my clients in a professional, safe, and respectful manner. By approaching each session in this way, I aim to help change how people perceive the massage industry, from a vacation splurge to a vital healing experience that ultimately has a positive influence on other areas of our daily lives.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I come from a background in marketing and mass communications, but after spending some time making my way in corporate America, I desired a different direction for my career and life. A family member was going through a physically difficult time and was getting few helpful answers. The questions we had drew me to massage therapy, a path I had once considered during college, but I dismissed it at the time in favor of my BA. I pursued getting my massage license and moved to Colorado in the process. After my first week, I felt like I had found my calling. I began to develop my skills through the years as a deep tissue massage therapist. I’ve gravitated towards neuromuscular, myofascial release, trigger point and ashiatsu massage. My career kept providing for me through economic hardship and personal loss so I kept pursuing more knowledge and experience. Being a massage therapist has been a wonderful blessing, and when I started working for myself, that blessing multiplied. I created a low-stress business model to reduce my clients’ worry about pricing and quality. I charge one price for my service and include all the tools in my toolbelt, such as hot stone, cupping, and CBD. I cater each session to my client’s needs, treating them as the unique human beings they are, giving them a personalized experience every time. After a few years of being my own boss, I realized I had more to give to my community.

In 2024, I reached out to the Colorado School of Healing Arts to inquire about a teaching position. I was offered the position and happily accepted. During instructor training, my love for the industry and fascination with anatomy continued to grow. I love bringing that enthusiasm to my students and sharing with them the amazing potential that massage therapy has to offer them and their community.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

At the beginning of 2022, I was approaching burnout emotionally and physically. Economically, my position didn’t feel sustainable, and I realized after 6 years of working as an employee in the industry, something was due for a change. Working for myself had always been a goal for me. I realized that, despite the uncertainty of the economy, if I wanted to continue doing massage, I needed to finally pursue that goal. I began earnestly looking for an office and found one on Craigslist that met all of my needs almost perfectly. I started renting two days a week while still working at my employed job, and slowly began building my clientele. By October of 2022, I rented two more days, quit my job, and became fully self-employed. I was reinvigorated in my career. I was able to work fewer hours while increasing and maintaining quality bodywork without sacrificing my health. Pursuing my own business and taking that risk was the best decision I could have made.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Word of mouth is my best and favorite source for my clientele. If my clients love the work I do, they share that experience with friends and family because it has left a lasting positive effect on them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://foothillsbodywork.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foothillsbodywork/

Image Credits

Foothills Bodywork