SWIHA Blog

Most students who have signed up for Transformational Yoga Coaching (YO-506), show up Friday night at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts thinking, “I’m not sure what this is all about, however, we get to go hiking and do ceremony with the owner, KC Miller!” While this is a fair statement, what makes this work so powerful is the fascinating correlation between the body’s physical messages (ie, pain, tension, or disease) and the ancient metaphors within the asanas, or yoga poses. Coaches learn to master the Inquiry, or facilitated dialog, which brings awareness, release, and healing to their clients.  In TYC we call the coach the “Guide” and the client the “Seeker”.

My personal process with this type of coaching has been very cyclic. First, I was in the seat of the student, then the seat of the teacher, and then back to the student and back to the teacher, and well… you see the pattern. What I have learned is that the student is the teacher and the teacher is the student.  There is always something to learn and the beauty in my opportunity to teach these classes, which happen twice a year, is to be a witness of the cosmic union between students. They arrive together, learn this work by coaching each other, and then they leave, newly transformed, lighter Beings. There is always an energy between the classmates that is unique and special to their own experience and it is so rewarding to be part of it.  To watch a person’s eyes literally lighten and spark with new exuberance, after just a few sessions, speaks to the importance and effectiveness that transformational yoga coaching offers.

Prior to attending the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Trinity Songha was a certified 200 hour yoga teacher from Seattle, WA.  When she moved to Arizona in August of 2011, she decided that she would further her training in yoga teaching by enrolling in the 800 hour yoga program at SWIHA and she is very grateful that she did.

Trinity went on to graduate from 2 major programs at SWIHA. She completed the Yoga 800 hour program in May of 2012, and several months after graduating, she re-enrolled in the 1000 hour master massage program and completed it in April of 2013.

During her time at SWIHA, Trinity felt that she had many favorite classes. Few of which were Myotherapy, Aromatherapy - 5 Element Acupressure for Emotional Healing and Transformational Life Coaching. She liked Myotherapy because it was one of her favorite modalities to give and receive, and she liked the other two because they were transformative – both personally and professionally. One of her most favorite teachers was Pam. She had her for Anatomy and she made the class both fun and educational. 

The sudden death of Janet Ellis’ only sister in 1998 brought her to her knees and was the catalyst that ultimately brought her to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). “When I am emerging from a crisis, my usual response is to embark on some learning journey. In December 2006, I was completing what I thought would be my last semester at ASU.  I had earned a bachelor’s degree in Family and Human Development and a minor in Psychology and Gender Studies. I then decided that I wanted to apply to their Marriage & Family Therapy program,” said Janet.

While her application was being processed, Janet decided to indulge her curiosity and find out what SWIHA was all about. The school had a great reputation for powerful classes with great experiences, and she had a personal interest in the newly formed Life Coaching program. One evening in January 2006, Janet attended a Gifts & Graces, facilitated by KC Miller. Janet said, “That experience so powerfully confirmed what I felt as a deep calling, that I enrolled in the Life Coaching – Foundations class, and I’ve never looked back!”

Orlando Green was employed as a Student Advisor at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) when he completed his Yoga Teacher Training (200-hour level) and Life Coaching Program. He considers himself a continuing student having also completed the Hatha Gong program with Duane Armitage. His move to Puerto Rico has put his work towards becoming a  Yoga Therapist on hold.  However, his life has not been on hold, for even a minute, since arriving on the tropic paradise!

When asked about his favorite class while studying at SWIHA, Orlando shared that his favorite class was not actually in his Yoga Teacher Training program, rather in SWIHA’s Spirit of Yoga (SOY) studio: “My first step into SOY was on a Saturday Intro to Yoga class taught by Aradhana Armitage. I had been very reluctant to do yoga due to my back injury – yet after some urging from several colleagues at SWIHA that included a ‘double dare ya’ – I attended Aradhana’s class. She was very aware of my limitations and made me feel welcome in spite of what I perceived as limitations. After the first four weeks of yoga, I returned for an additional four weeks—and then I was hooked.   I began my Yoga Teacher Training shortly thereafter.”

Bill Gisclair- Sullivan was searching for a program that matched the journey he found himself on. He really wanted to discover one that offered a holistic approach to health and wellness. “After reviewing what Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) had to offer and speaking with a few people, I felt it was the perfect match.” Bill enrolled and went on to graduate with an Associates Degree in Mind-Body Transformational Psychology.

During his time at SWIHA, Bill found so many classes that he loved. “The one I liked the most was HY 401 Hypnotherapy Advanced Techniques. It really brought everything together! It was challenging and a great way to finish the hypnotherapy program. I especially liked the final project. It was tough, but well worth it.”  He has used his final project presentation in his business, and it has been very well received.

Linda Bennett, SWIHA’s Hypnotherapy program director, had a profound effect on Bill. She instructed seven of the courses he took, so there was a long progression of working with her. “The feedback she gave me and every other student, was very engaging. I enjoyed listening to her constructive criticism and support and, what I felt, was genuine excitement for what she read each week.”  Bill said it was apparent that her whole heart was in this work and her passion is what made the learning so enjoyable.

A sobering thought -- what if, at this very moment, I am living up to my full potential? 

Some of the most pressing matters of the human experience revolve around happiness, achievement, and growth. We are always striving for something, whether it is financial freedom, physical fitness, education, a happier marriage, or overcoming personal struggles. As human beings, we have an incredible resource in living a full, harmonious life: the ability to reflect, reason, and re-learn. Our consciousness aims to teach us to re-evaluate ourselves so we can maximize our potential, be the person we are meant to be, and live passionately in confidence and self-love that is given to our family and friends as a result. But what happens when, throughout the muddle of financial and personal crisis, we become shrouded with guilt, fear, confusion, and inaction? More importantly, how can we rise again after we fall into moments of despair, of unknowing, and indecisiveness so that we can live a truly incredible life?

In 2010, Gisele Marasca-Vargas had to close her graphic design and publishing company and file for bankruptcy (mostly due to the 2008 economic crisis). She lost her home in the process and had to practically start from scratch. She got a temporary job at the U.S. Census Bureau and went through a phase when she was feeling lost and confused about her next steps. At a certain point, she realized that she needed to reinvent herself.

During her years as a graphic designer and publisher, she had worked on the side as an “energy healer”. She felt that the challenges she had gone through were a sign from the Universe that it was time to change the course of her life -- to find her true path. Gisele decided that her “on the side” work was going to become her main career and life path.

“That’s when I started researching schools from all over the country for a degree in energy healing and other holistic practices. I was attracted by the AOS degree in Holistic Health Care (Concentration in Mind-Body Transformational Psychology) that Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) offered. I was also very intrigued by the fact that it’s very rich curriculum included Hypnotherapy and Life Coaching. The facts that SWIHA offers online programs and is nationally accredited by ACCET and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education sealed the deal,” shared Gisele.

When we talk about gratitude, we are talking about the act of truly being thankful. Thankful for the blessings we have in life -- the simple pleasures, the gifts of nature, health, happiness, family, friends, etc.

Gratitude shifts our focus from what we want to what we have.

It allows us to look at the ready abundance of all that is great in our lives. When we are truly grateful there is a profound change in our attitude towards life. Truly giving thanks makes us happier, healthier, and more resilient. It makes our relationships stronger and improves our overall health by reducing stress in our lives.

We all sometimes take for granted, the little things in our lives. The things someone else would and have given their lives for: freedom, food, a place to live, an education, a bed to sleep in, clothes on our backs, etc. What about simple things others don't have like sight, touch, smell, and hearing? I know most of us just take those things for granted. Just for a second, imagine your life without them. Think how your life would change and then you will truly be thankful.

After retiring from the Air Force and moving back to Arizona, Tom Kreienbrink found the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) through a Facebook friend. Throughout the duration of his Air Force career, Tom was in Graphic Arts and Multimedia, and for the last 10 years he was in leadership and management positions. “I worked in a design position for FEMA in Washington D.C. for a few years after retiring from the Air Force. Bottom line – I was ready to get out of the 'rat race,' and when I found SWIHA it was the second career I’d been waiting for.”

Tom shared how he’s always had a passion for learning about natural healing methods, nutrition, energy, and spirituality. “When I started studying at SWIHA, I found it was a school that offered practical holistic modalities and techniques that I could take out into the world and help people in my community and beyond.”

Tom graduated with his Associates of Occupational Studies Degree in Holistic Health Care – with a concentration in Mind-Body Transformational Psychology. The programs he completed with his degree included the 750-hour massage program, a Certificates of Excellences in Myofascial Energetic Massage, Transformational Reiki, Cranial Unwinding, Reflexology, and Hypnotherapy.

Tom went on to share how he uses all of the combined wisdom from each of his areas of specialization in his sessions. “Of the classes and programs I’ve taken, I love them all. I use them all. Even some of the required classes like Ayurveda, Western Herbalism – Foundations of American Herbal Studies, Life Coaching, and even Public Speaking offer me a lot to draw from when working with clients.”

We have all lived through the following scenario or something similar: You wake up in the morning and are well rested, refreshed, and ready to start your day. You happily get ready and you might even sing along to the songs playing on the radio while driving in your car. You are in a wonderful mood and feel as if you are on top of the world. You get to work and head to your desk. All of a sudden your supervisor comes over and hands you a mountain of work along with a deadline that seems impossible to reach. As you go through the mountain of work and complete the assignments, you feel as though maybe you will make the deadline after all. However, after lunch your supervisor comes to tell you that your work is mediocre and needs to be redone. But you know that you did your work to the best of your ability. You are now in a negative funk for the rest of the day.