Natalie DeVaney, a graduate of the Health and Wellness Coaching program at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), has dedicated her career to empowering individuals on their journey toward health and personal transformation. Her story is one of passion, compassion, and a deep desire to help others reconnect with their paths after life’s challenges.
Before becoming a coach, Natalie was an intern with Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program. During that time, she worked with Common Threads, an initiative that brought nutritional education to schools in Los Angeles and Chicago. This role allowed her to engage with diverse communities, planting the seeds for her eventual transition into health and wellness coaching.
When Natalie decided to pursue coaching, SWIHA stood out as the ideal place to gain the education and tools she needed. She was drawn to the program’s alignment with her desire to deliver meaningful change in her community. SWIHA’s comprehensive curriculum also prepared her to sit for the national board exam delivered by the NBHWC, a key milestone in her professional journey.
Natalie describes health and wellness coaching as creating a space for clients to process their goals, challenges, and potential. Through open-ended questions and compassionate feedback, she encourages clients to explore new ways to improve their health and well-being. Her sessions are rooted in collaboration, always respecting the client’s pace and individual journey.
Natalie primarily works with women between the ages of 20 and 60 who are returning to a path they once pursued before major life events shifted their priorities. Whether her clients are navigating parenthood, recovering from injuries, or adjusting to lifestyle changes, Natalie helps them reclaim their physical and emotional well-being. Her coaching style emphasizes empathy, celebration of progress, and finding inspiration in small successes. She guides her clients as they uncover the deeper reasons behind their goals and encourages them to recognize the strengths they already possess.
One of Natalie’s favorite techniques is using motivational interviewing questions to explore her clients’ confidence in achieving their goals. For example, she asks clients to rate their motivation on a scale of 1 to 10 and then inquires why they chose that number instead of a lower one. This simple shift in perspective highlights the confidence and resources they already have to succeed.
For Natalie, coaching is more than a career—it’s a calling. She finds immense joy in hearing clients share how their work together has brought them new hope, inspiration, and a sense of purpose. Watching clients reclaim their joy and strength inspires Natalie to continue her own personal growth and wellness journey.
Natalie encourages anyone considering a career in coaching to follow their passion. “If healing, empathy, and compassionate conversation are gifts of yours, the world needs people like you to spread light,” she shares. She also reassures aspiring coaches that building a client base is possible even without relying on social media—a fear that holds many back. With dedication and authenticity, she found herself working with clients just months after completing the program.
As 2025 approaches, Natalie advises individuals to start small and focus on building sustainable habits. She recommends tying new habits to existing ones, treating the process as an experiment, and celebrating every success along the way. “Allow yourself grace,” she says. “With consistency, these small changes will become a natural part of who you are.”
Through her work as a coach, Natalie DeVaney exemplifies the transformative power of compassionate guidance and sustainable change. Her journey serves as an inspiration to others pursuing a career in coaching and to anyone seeking to rediscover their own joy and strength.