SWIHA Blog

Marci DeBord was divinely led to the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). “After asking for guidance from the Creator to assist and guide me to the answers I sought, I was directed to SWIHA.” During her time at SWIHA, Marci experienced a beautiful transformation -- she discovered an occupation and passion that she feels privileged and honored to be doing.

Marci first enrolled in the Mind Body Wellness Practitioner program and right before she completed the program she felt led to complete the Mind Body Transformational Psychology Associates program, which she graduated from April 2015. Through-out each program she maintained a 4.0 grade average, was passionate for each class.

“From each class I learned valuable information for self-transformation and how to successfully guide others. What stands out the most would be the complete acceptance of myself and my abilities, and how to effectively serve others for their highest good.”

Life Coaching was Marci’s original goal when she enrolled in the program. However, during her studies she discovered a passion for Hypnotherapy. Ultimately, she discovered that both Life Coaching and Hypnotherapy work very well together.

Zoey Greco was wrapping up her studies towards a Bachelor’s degree in sunny, Southern California back in 2012 when she began to feel a bit lost about how she was going to move forward in her life. “I knew I wanted to be a healer, yet I had NO idea how to enter into such a metaphysical field. I pondered how could I tell my family who had poured thousands of dollars into my education that I wanted to be an intuitive channel and energy healer?” All of her friends were applying and receiving acceptance letters to graduate programs or Fulbright scholarships and Zoey was wondering how she could possibly make her dreams a reality. Other careers have more clear paths to success—formal internships, graduate programs, the rat race. Zoey knew that those paths were not for her.

Like many SWIHA students, Kristin Apodaca’s path to SWIHA was full of trials and tribulations. Nearly seven years ago, Kristin and her family moved to Arizona for her husband’s new job, leaving her family and old life behind in Boca Raton, Florida. On the outside, she had it all: a loving husband, four beautiful and healthy children, a large home and many friend -- and yet, as Kristin revealed, she felt like she had no idea who she was as a person. Seven years of being a stay-at-home-mom took their toll on her.She spent that time feeling very resentful towards her husband for having to work such long hours, taking him away from their family and herself. All of these factors led her to a breaking point. “I had lost my identity,” confessed Kristin. After briefly using anti-depressants to help cope with her anxiety and depression, she knew there had to be a more holistic route available.

StevieAnne Petitt is well on her purposeful path to be an internationally-known and well-received Conscious Comedian and Inspirational Speaker. Stevie’s comedic approach to conscious living prompts her audience to “Lighten up Enlightenment”, finding the humor in this human experience!

Stevie’s journey has been nothing shy of miraculous. She lived in foster and group homes after childhood abuse that resulted in her becoming a ward of the state. Stevie remembers being divinely-guided by one or two mentors at each significant turning point in her journey. “Looking back now, I find that every event was divinely orchestrated to bring me to who I evolved into today. I have the vague memory of several mentors, counselors and therapists whose brief comments of praise and inspiration fueled me for months and motivated me to dream big.”

Despite occasional hospitalizations for suicide attempts, Stevie found that she was most herself when she was writing and using humor as her means of healing. Whether it was a facilitated group meeting among peers or a session with her various psychiatrists, her enthusiasm for life would show up whenever she was able to use metaphors or comedy to re-create the scenarios she was asked to dive deep into and make sense of. “It was so interesting. I recall even the most stoic of therapists laughing almost uncontrollably at my somewhat crass yet comedic approach to really dark, deep topics. Their expression humanized our sessions and I always kind of felt like that was the one area in which I could express and feel lovable and good enough. I learned that humor was what made me special and worthy of existing.”

Hypnotherapy, often referred to as guided imagery, is a powerful instrument for healing. It works within the subconscious mind of an individual, helping to resolve issues such as chronic anxiety, weight gain, fear and insomnia. It can also help change negative or addictive behaviors.

Bob Chamberlain, a graduate of the 100 hour Certificate of Excellence in Hypnotherapy at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), has an undeniable passion for hypnotherapy and guided imagery. Once Bob completed his 100 hours of training at SWIHA, he immediately took his skills and experience to Banner Estrella Medical Center in Phoenix, along with SWIHA’s Hypnotherapy Program Director Linda Bennett.

In January of 2015, Banner Estrella launched a pilot program called the Guided Imagery Project. This is a volunteer based program in which Bob immediately began volunteering, along with a dozen other graduates from SWIHA’s hypnotherapy program.

Most traditional, or allopathic, doctors and medical centers have not previously used holistic or integrative therapies like hypnotherapy with patients. However, recently the use of more holistic therapies such as hypnotherapy, massage therapy and even yoga have proven beneficial for helping patients.

The recent awareness around ingredients in foods and products has practically caused a worldwide phenomenon. Conscious consumers everywhere are beginning to pay attention to what they are putting in and on their bodies. However, Lisa Kaiser has been reading product labels and looking at food ingredients long before it was making headlines. This attention to labels and ingredients was what inspired Lisa to create her skincare business, The Good Stuff, over 15 years ago with her daughter.
Lisa came to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) years after launching her business with the intent to expand on her expertise. She enrolled in the online Associates of Mind-Body Transformational Psychology program, and was intrigued by the Urban Farming courses, due to her interest in reading labels and using ingredients that nature provided.

“The fact that Urban Farming was incorporated, along with the holistic nutrition classes, brought what I believe full circle,” Lisa explained.

Published Author. Massage Therapist. Teacher. Spiritual Coach. Aromatherapist. Clinical Nurse. Holistic Entrepreneur. These are just some of the many titles Marci Cagen can put on her resume. A graduate of SWIHA’s Massage Therapy program, Marci’s interest in massage therapy and holistic health stemmed from her years of experience as a clinical nurse, and grew into a business that extends beyond one or two holistic modalities.

“I originally enrolled at SWIHA while I was working as a clinical nurse at Phoenix Children’s Hospital so I could learn some alternative therapies that would support the patients I worked with,” Marci explains. “They were in so much pain, and I wanted to be able to offer healing modalities that would complement the medications they were prescribed, alleviating associated side effects, while offering support to the mind, body, spirit and emotions.” Marci’s interest in reflexology guided her to massage therapy, and multiple other healing modalities followed. Once she completed her massage therapy program, Marci felt she needed to leave her nursing career to “answer the call of my soul.” During her time studying at SWIHA, she learned how to embrace her spiritual healing gifts, and upon graduating, Marci began to create a life of helping others tap into their spiritual gifts.

Kate Shipp was dreaming: She was stuck inside a building with a bunch of people, and it felt as if there was no way out. Every floor had a door, every door led to stairs which led to more doors and more rooms. She asked people in the rooms why they were there, and they told her they didn’t know, yet they felt they had everything they needed, except a way out of the building. Kate looked up and noticed windows lining the walls. She stood on a table, broke open a window, and escaped, telling everyone that sometimes we have to look to the window within to find or way out.

This dream was a subconscious intervention of sorts, inspiring Kate to launch one of her businesses, The Window Within, a holistic wellness business that offering a variety of services including intuitive yoga therapy, energy healing, intuitive coaching and readings. Already a co-owner of the popular Santosha Yoga and Wellness yoga studio in Glendale, Arizona, launching another business was simply a natural next step for Kate.

Kate enhanced her entrepreneurial spirit during her time as a student in the 600 hour Yoga Teacher Training program at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). Her teacher training program helped to unveil the potential within her that she had never previously tapped into or explored, enhancing her growth.

"Writing is by definition a creative endeavor, one that energizes the mind and nourishes the soul."

Randy Davila

For many creative people, especially writers, putting themselves out there can be an intimidating and overwhelming process. It can be a scary enough process to just put words on paper or type into a computer, sharing your soul with friends or family. It’s even scarier to try to get those words published for the entire world to read!

A 2013 article from Forbes.com states that there are roughly 600,000 to one million books published a year in America, and as much as half are self-published. It’s a pretty competitive marketplace for even the most ambitious writers who hope to get their message out, and read, by more than just a few family members and close friends.

According to Randy Davila, CEO of Hampton Roads and Hierophant Publishing, right now is the best time in history to write a book and get it published. However, it is also a time of rapid and confusing change in the publishing industry.

"We all know the publishing world has changed,” Randy writes in his book, Think Like A Publisher.

In 2011, Laura Wilkinson had hit her version of rock bottom, and was desperately in need of some kind of life shift. Having looked into the Life Coaching program offered at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) previously, Laura explains, “After the rug was pulled out from under my feet I knew it was time to do something transformational,” she said. “I had a clean slate and I needed to build a solid foundation. Life Coaching was the perfect place for me to rebuild from.”

Laura enrolled in SWIHA’s online Mind-Body Transformational Psychology program, where she not only studied Life Coaching, she also took courses in Hypnotherapy, Holistic Nutrition, Aromatherapy, and business courses including Writing for Publication.

Once she completed her program (with a 4.0 grade point average!), Laura was ready for the next phase in her life. Inspired by her program, and armed with the knowledge that there were many others in the world just like her, who went through experiences similar to hers, she decided to start a business. Laura’s mission was to help healers who were stuck in their minds, holding themselves back from reaching their full potential.

Laura launched The Wilkinson Effect, an integrative practice that applies Life Coaching, Transformational Hypnotherapy and Holistic Nutrition into customized client sessions.