SWIHA Blog

Before becoming a Life Coach, Samantha McManaway-Hanks was struggling to find who she was. “I ended up in the hospital with an infection and my whole life turned upside down,” she shares, “I was once super healthy and then one day, I was extremely sick. I then started to have to find ways to deal with stress, health, and everything else. That’s what lead me to SWIHA.”

When she’s not in SWIHA’s teaching kitchen supervising and inspiring future Nutrition coaches, Janet Lee has her own thriving business, A Healthy Journey, which combines her passion for health with Life Coaching principles to assist her clients in leading fulfilling, wellness-centered lives.

“I welcome curious individuals willing to explore what is not working in their lives. Encouragement, education and excitement are shared to open up to new possibilities, creativity and opportunity for health, happiness and wholeness!” Janet explains.

“I love being a life coach because I am given the opportunity to witness women stepping into their power,” says Sharon Rose of The Goddess Leadership Academy, “I get to see her glow when she has a new awareness, a new idea, a new action to take. Being able to support her through this and hold the space for her transformation if a gift.”

“It also supports me in my own growth in my business and personal life,” she continues, “I can only expect my clients and students to go as far as I am willing to go, so I am always striving to expand myself.”

Toe Reading, as we know it at SWIHA, is almost 20 years old this year, and in that time approximately 2000 people have been trained in the art of Toe Reading, both in the United States and Japan!

Toe Reading is based on the theory that the body holographically records the stories of our lives which then causes the toes to depict what one’s journey has been like. It has been well documented that everything that happens in your life -- the story and the emotions -- are stored as cell memory; each bump, lump, crease and crevice means something.

Becca Briley is an Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner as well as a Holistic Nutrition Specialist, Transformational Life Coach, Toe Reader / Soul Coach, Yoga Teacher, soon-to-be Ordained Minister, and Reiki Practitioner. She is a life-long student who has taught Life Coaching and Spiritual Traditions online for SWIHA. Becca now teaches "Mission Possible" on-campus, to support students in building their businesses as they step into their purpose and power.

“There is nothing more beautiful to witness than light-workers embracing and fulfilling their life missions,” she tells us.

“Being a Life Coach is just part of who I am,” says Linda Bennett, “I love asking questions and helping others dive deep and find the treasures within.”

Linda Bennett is a Hypnotherapist and Life Coach who owns Heart Centered Healing as well as serves as the Director of the Hypnotherapy program here at SWIHA! She has been a practitioner and instructor of Hypnotherapy for twenty-five years and became involved with Life Coaching in 1996. Along with KC Miller and Carolyn Frasier, Linda helped to create the original SWIHA Life Coaching curriculum in 2002.

As 2020 approaches, our vision is inevitably shifting toward what we plan to accomplish in this new decade - our “New Year’s Resolutions”. Typically, these plans are things such as:

• Lose weight
• Get promoted
• Save money
• Read more
• Travel often

However, only 10% of people report feeling as though they accomplished their resolutions. What could the other 90% have done to achieve their objectives?

Celebrate Life Coaching Month!

Since 2002, SWIHA has trained thousands of students in Life Coaching. We continue to joyfully bear witness to the incredible transformations they experience helping others find clarity of purpose and bold new ways of expressing themselves in the world.

People seek support from Life Coaches to help with relationships, careers, business goals, communication, motivation, health and even spiritual grounding. Research clearly shows that feeling understood, supported and directed improves and stabilizes our sense of personal and social well-being.

“I'm almost 65 years old and I feel more at peace with my life than ever,” says Terri Martin, a graduate of the Wesern Herbalism program at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.

Many years ago, Terri attended an Aromatherapy class on campus and later reconnected with SWIHA via social media. She tells us, “I attended an open house for the herbalism class and was instantly struck by how perfect it was. I signed up and have never regretted it!”

When Melissa Moreno enrolled in the Mindfulness and Guided Imagery Facilitator program at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, she was in a very difficult period of her life.

“I was in an unhappy living situation, with no life purpose, and I desired to be a self-sufficient single mom,” she tells us, “I had quit my corporate job of six years and moved to Mexico to live in harsh living conditions with my kids. I was running from an abusive relationship. I felt sick, anxious, and tired of the demands of my corporate job, and I was soul searching.”

It was that trying time that led her to discover visualization techniques and meditation, as well as seek out a Life Coach.