SWIHA Blog

In a world that increasingly values whole-person healing, holistic wellness education is more than just a path to personal transformation—it’s an opportunity to build a fulfilling and profitable career. At the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), we believe that everyone has unique gifts and graces to share with the world, and our mission is to support individuals in turning their passion for healing into a meaningful profession. Whether you’re seeking a new career, expanding your current wellness practice, or beginning your journey of personal growth, holistic wellness education opens doors you may never have imagined.

At the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), we celebrate the journeys of our students and graduates—each unique, powerful, and transformative. Annmarie Lieto, a recent graduate of the Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner (IHAP) program, shares her inspiring story of self-discovery, passion, and purpose.

Healing Ourselves

We are all looking for “a quick fix,” and most of the time it doesn’t go as planned. When we seek to master our health, quick fixes rarely work. We can heal if we are willing to dig deep, hold ourselves accountable, and explore!

Humans have evolved and this progression has led us from the caves to creating exquisite communities. We are still hard-wired with primal instinct and this instinct is vital for survival. Now, we are using this same wiring for our current reality, which is working overtime. As humans progress, we no longer need our primal brain to protect us from animal predators, however, it is still in use in the modern era triggered by different stimuli. We still face the predator, yet it may be a car with an inattentive driver or someone running out before you. After severe enough events, there can be everlasting scars left.

Before SWIHA, Shelley had already impacted lives as an intuitive guide and yoga/meditation teacher. Despite her success, she felt something was missing. "I found that in the readings I provided clients, there was a feeling like I was left hanging," she shares. Shelley yearned to create a business rooted in integrity, where she could support clients fully and see them through their personal journeys.

Coaching is more than a profession—it’s a calling to create safe spaces for transformation. Lori Dye, founder of Village of Islands Yoga & Wellness, embodies this ethos. Her journey from social work and hospitality to coaching and holistic wellness is a testament to the power of aligning passion with purpose.

In the world of holistic health and wellness, few stories resonate as deeply as that of Keisha Peele, the inspiring founder of Healing InnerG - Holistic Health and Wellness Center. With a background that weaves together years of experience and a passion for helping others, Keisha has crafted a unique coaching style that empowers individuals to achieve holistic balance in their lives.

In the depths of our minds, there are beliefs that shape the way we see ourselves and the world around us. These limiting beliefs can hold us back from reaching the life of our dreams because we can’t seem to let go and break free. Hypnotherapy is a way to unlock these chains, allowing us to rewrite our stories in a way that provides empowerment and positive transformation. Through this amazing healing modality, I was able to discover the strength inside of me and could finally move forward.

I've learned as an entrepreneur that battling the inner critic is a tough challenge that many of us face every day. The voice in our heads that questions our abilities, compares us to others, and fills us with fear of failure can be paralyzing and hold us back from reaching our goals. Conquering this inner critic requires resilience, determination, and a strong mindset.

What was your life like before SWIHA? What led you to SWIHA and to your particular program of study?

I was working a high-level corporate job as a global leader. As my daughter was approaching completing her Bachelor's Degree, I was planning on life after corporate. I have a BS in Psychology and Kinesiology, obtained my yoga teacher certification, and trained in Qigong, I loved helping people, so I decided a hypnotherapy certification would allow me to start a business as an Alternative Therapy Practitioner (as I later also became certified in EFT). I feel the state of society today is in crisis, however, the power of nature and their mind can heal them, and all they need is guidance. I have always been passionate about empowering others, even in my corporate role.

The past few years for Adeum Rivera have been filled with hardship, loss, and physical pain. However, they have also been filled with transformation as well. Let’s rewind to a time before Adeum attended SWIHA for Reflexology. Beginning in 2019, Adeum started experiencing a lot of health issues with his knees that eventually got to the point where he could not walk it was so painful. On top of that, Adeum dealt with the hardship of losing brother and father within 2 months of each other. Dealing with such physical and emotional pain, Adeum knew he wanted a change in his life. Adeum sought out more naturopathic doctors and solutions and eventually wound up getting a massage from a SWIHA Graduate, who told him of how special a place SWIHA really was.