Part of a Movement

William (Bill) Hughes (‘05) is not working in the field of social anthropology, his major at Harvard, but he now finds himself taking part in a powerful movement that is changing the social fabric of America. A graduate of both the Massage Therapy Program and Personal Training course, Bill plans to be active in shaping a new paradigm for health as a provider of complementary care.

"My path is the result of my own personal evolution," Bill explained. After eight years as general manager of an executive recruiting firm in New York, he was ready for a career change. He was looking for a way to become involved in people's health care in a way that was both personal and nurturing, as well as contribute to solutions for national health care concerns. He left his full-time career, and decided to enroll full-time in the Massage Therapy Program.

Adding Personal Training to Massage Therapy

Toward the end of the 16-month course of study to become a licensed massage therapist, Bill enrolled in the Personal Training course. "It seemed like the two would work together so well," he said, "especially for the population I want to work with, which is athletes and people recovering from injury. As a personal trainer, I can work with clients to establish short-term and long-term goals we'll try to achieve together.

“With personal training added to my skills as a therapist, my clients can become active participants in their improved well-being. The client's participation is an important element in the emerging paradigm of health care." In addition, Bill says, "we’re facing a health care crisis because there is not enough appropriate education, or one-on-one care. With massage therapy and personal training I can make a positive contribution to people's need to understand their own bodies."

In some ways, the future Bill is weaving uses threads from his past. It was during a class in medical anthropology at Harvard that he first encountered the health maintenance system used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. "It has always been part of Asian health care to address the personal need to exercise, reduce stress and maintain the body with natural, non-toxic methods,” Bill explained. “What I believe is happening today is an attempt to take the old models, turn them into something that reflects modern cultural norms, and integrate them into a new model of wellness. I hope to grow such a practice, working with a collective that would include massage therapy, personal training, yoga, chiropractic, acupuncture, nutrition, or any kind of complementary modality that addresses the desire to optimize health."

Contact Bill Hughes by selecting Personal Training and Exercise Science Practitioners in our Locate a Practitioner feature.

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