SWIHA Blog

The journey of an entrepreneur is never linear – especially in terms of levels of motivation. Somedays we may jump out of bed, ready and willing to take on the world. We know we’ll succeed and we’re so excited! The next day, however, may bring feelings of doubt or impatience.

At Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, we believe in holding space for each point on the emotional spectrum. Today we want to share with you some inspiring stories from our graduates who have preserved and truly found their heart’s calling. Click the link above each photo to read their full story!

Veronica Wright, a graduate of SWIHA’s online Holistic Nutrition Wellness Practitioner program, has long held a passion for teaching.

“My life before SWIHA consisted of teaching my boys at home, managing a field trip based homeschool group, and working part time as a retail manager. Before homeschooling my boys, I taught early childhood education for 10 years,” she shares, “I loved my life before SWIHA, though I always knew I was destined to do more.”

Pamela Borowoski once had a long struggle with both her self-worth and spirituality. She tells us: “In my younger days when I followed a different religious path, I attended Bible College and went on to become a local and overseas missionary and I thought that, since I was no longer in that faith, that I'd never find a spiritual calling like I had before.“

As she began the slow process of healing from her traumas and heartaches, she focused her energy on her family. Yet, she still found herself barely getting by.

“I was disabled,” Pamela shares, “I was so anxious and depressed I could not drive. I barely left the house. I was in pain physically, emotionally and spiritually.”

Sabrina Willie describes her life before Southwest Institute of Healing Arts as a rollercoaster: “I was tired of the ups and downs,” she says, “I knew I had to do something.”

That gut instinct led her to leave her job of ten years and begin to define her own path. Two weeks after her new journey began, Sabrina found out she was expecting a child! It cemented her calling to create a life she loved: “I knew it wasn't coincidental. I decided this was a great chance to change and be a better role model,” she tells us.

At Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, we see the power and potential in every soul, and Jessica Bardzinski is a shining example of pure determination!

“Before SWIHA, I was a stay at home mom. I had two children in two years,” Jessica shares, “I felt like I was lost in the trenches of life. I felt there was something more but didn't know where to turn.”

Jessica initially came to SWIHA to study nutrition, after her daughter had health problems that  doctors couldn’t seem to explain. “I had been reading everything I could get my hands on about the American food supply and SAD (Standard American Diet),” she says, “I wanted to learn more and get a degree to share with other mamas all this valuable information I had been learning.”

Jonathan Sorrell found himself meandering through mundane days in the traditional job force after his time serving our country in the military. Until one day, when he looked around and realized that he was not touching or affecting lives to his full capacity.

“I went online looking for programs,” he tells us, “I had heard about SWIHA and decided to check it out.”

The decision was an easy one for him to make. Jonathan says: “When I touched the handle and walked through the main door, a feeling of calmness came over me, and said ’you’re home!’”

In 2013, Carol Gardner was in hospice care from a lifelong battle with lupus and a twenty year battle with a rare form of Multiple Sclerosis. It was a fight she was determined to win, and says: “I researched nutrition on my own and created a meal plan that reversed the damage caused by both illnesses.”

Two years later, she decided to enroll in SWIHA’s Holistic Nutrition Wellness Practitioner diploma program to learn more about nutrition for herself. Carol tells us: “Dee McCaffrey's course convinced me that I could help others with this newfound knowledge.” Carol says that the greatest lessons she learned in her program were how to write articles, how to speak with clients, and the vast amount of nutrition information she gained.

“My life truly is my very own happy place,” Janell Erickson tells us, “I have found healing and health through holistic and inspirational living.”

Janell is a transformational coach, using an array of modalities to facilitate major shifts in the lives of her clients. Her path to SWIHA, however, was full of twists and turns!

“I had a totally different lifestyle,” Janell explains, “I was married, raised two step-sons, lived by the Colorado River, worked as a human resource manager, as well as owned a thriving ice cream truck business and eventually a steakhouse. And then the low tide of life swept in and set me up for the next part of my journey.  I survived an alcoholic husband, bankruptcy and finally divorce.

Rudy Frame is a Massage Therapist, Yoga Teacher and currently pursuing the 700-hour Western Herbalism program at SWIHA. He’s been a SWIHA student since 2005, when he took a course on Gua Sha while working in a chiropractor's office.

He tells us: “I took a different route of service for six years in the United States Marine Corps, traveled the world and completed a Bachelor’s degree. However, government work was no longer appealing to me. Like a light bulb it hit me: go back to SWIHA and work on my own healing journey from my short time of intense service in the Corps.”

When Alexa Moody arrived at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts she describes herself as “on fire with changes” and eager to share her journey to help others.

“I had made dramatic changes in my life,” explains Alexa, “Especially with my food choices, which dramatically changed my health. I wanted to share this with the world and needed an outlet.”

She once struggled with numerous weight-related health issues such as acid reflux, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and diabetes. Within months of committing to her health, Alexa eliminated her need for medications for these conditions! Today, Alexa has successfully lost 188lbs through a nutrition-focused diet and committing to an active lifestyle.