SWIHA Blog

There is a famous proverb that goes like this, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” What does that mean? How do we help others to help themselves? Do we tell people how to do that? Do we teach them or show them? Maybe we just do it for them and save everyone the hassle of learning or can we just give them a Field & Stream subscription?

“My life before SWIHA was a bit all over the place and I was close to finding my passion and felt I was coming up slightly short. One night, SWIHA came across my Facebook thread and I was very guided to it. After a few weeks of researching and meditating, I signed up. It fit perfectly with the direction I was currently going as well as what I naturally do as a person. I am so passionate about helping people to live fully and love their life. To step out of their comfort zone and chase their dreams. I love being a cheerleader for others.”

As an Entrepreneur in the Holistic Health & Wellness space, and having a passion for helping others, it is a common path that most healers will try to expand their tool belts in every way they can. This way, they can offer more modalities, helping their clients, as well as expanding their business. This was the very case for SWIHA Great Graduate, Shawna Roberts, a recent graduate of the 755-hr Holistic Health and Wellness Coach Diploma Program. Shawna was an already established Licensed Massage Therapist and Yoga Instructor running her own business. She was looking for the next natural progression in building and expanding her business. With a passion for health and wellness, specifically holistic nutrition and the impact it has on overall health - based on Shawna’s personal health challenges; the Wellness Coaching program seemed like the perfect fit!

“I was inspired to become a Holistic Health and Wellness coach because I’m passionate about helping people gain the knowledge, skills, tools, and confidence to become active participants in their health care so that they can live their most fulfilling life with a chronic illness.”

SWIHA (soon to be) Great Graduate, Katina Kondos, spent the last twenty years of her life in the health and wellness industry, operating several Massage Envy franchises in Illinois, until she sold them in 2018 and moved to Arizona for a fresh start. Katina shares, “Much of my career has been dedicated to helping people navigate through pain management and improving their quality of life.” With a new journey beginning in Arizona for Katina, it just made sense that she found herself attracted to SWIHA. Katina enrolled in the Holistic Health and Wellness Coaching program to further her education in this field she is so passionate about, meanwhile, expanding her tool belt of offerings to help serve others live their best, and healthiest life. 

At the age of 40, is when I noticed I was feeling tired, not just lack of sleep tired, it felt like fatigue, just plain exhaustion. As the year went on, I noticed I was missing sleep during the night, waking up between 2-3 am constantly, and this led to just not feeling me. I was moody. My stomach hurt with everything I ate and was nauseous when I woke up. My body ached, my skin was red and I was getting adult acne. My body was calling for my attention. I felt like each month - year added a new symptom. It was robbing me of life. My mind keep spinning why was this happening to me, and can I feel better again?

Adrienne Rue-Brock was living a life full of stress, unhealthy habits, and anxiety which resulted in her being diagnosed with several illnesses. Her body was crying for help, and she knew she needed change. Adrienne desired to seek a holistic way of healing herself and became inspired to want to help others do the same. Adrienne knew that by enrolling in the Holistic Health and Wellness Coach Diploma program with a concentration in Holistic Nutrition, that she would be able to achieve these goals. Adrienne shares, “I became physically ill and was diagnosed with anxiety, high blood pressure, and was pre-diabetic. The physical illness my doctor stated was due to my being under a lot of stress, which brought about all the other conditions. I am a believer in natural cures and started to seek out alternative medicines and therapy and that's when I found SWIHA.”

“Summer reminds us of longer days, cool drinks, and fresh colorful fruits and vegetables.” - Chef Janet Lee, SWIHA Success Coach

It’s almost that time of year when the need to relax and cool down is here! Utilize these refreshing and delicious recipes provided by Chef Janet Lee! Social life almost always is surrounded by food! Food brings people together. We meet with friends and family for a meal, for connection. And that desire and passion for food can turn into something more! People utilize nutrition in their careers all the time! After exploring these delectable recipes, check out some of SWIHA’s Nutrition programs. Have the courage to pursue your passions this summer. 

“For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to help others! It has held a deep space in my life and I have taken many different life paths to find just the right one! My intention as a child was to go to school to be a Psychiatrist, yet as life would have it I became a young mom and that desire was put on the back burner. I instead became a hairstylist; this is a career that I absolutely love and continue to hold space for. Fast forward 25 years and I became pregnant with my second child and that is when my calling changed! I became sober at 40, not drinking alcohol created a new awareness and a totally new space in my life, and realized I wanted to travel a different life path and move down the path to help others in similar situations! I started attending Southwest Institute of Healing Arts’ Holistic Health and Wellness Coaching program with a focus on Culinary Arts, and graduated with an "A" average in February of 2023! I feel as tho I have circled back to my initial desire as a child and I am now able to help anyone that is desiring change and want that path partner!”

What was your life like before SWIHA? What led you to SWIHA and to your particular program of study? Why are you passionate about this modality?

Prior to SWIHA, I owned and operated a small vegan café in Gilbert, AZ called Coconut Hut. The menu was based on the S.O.U.L. concept, seasonal, organic, unprocessed, and local as much as possible. When I opened the café, my intention was to provide healthy food, something I had a very hard time finding in restaurants around my area. Little did I know that it would attract people with chronic diseases who were looking to find a food sanctuary. A place where they would feel safe to consume the food, where they could nourish and satisfy their hunger. Before I knew it, customers became clients that I would meal prep for, customizing the meals for their specific needs.

At the age of 10, Kenneth visited Disney with his family, and immediately fell in love with the concept of serving others with the goal of always making people happy. Ever since, Kenneth has had a deep passion for helping others. Fast forward to adulthood, Kenneth found himself leaving his career in upper management hotel restaurant hospitality and launching his own business as a personal chef!