SWIHA Blog

“The Universe knows the perfect timing for all those things you want and will find, through the crack of least resistance, the best way to deliver it to you.” - Esther Hicks

Life can be all about timing. For SWIHA Great Graduate, Libby Schaible, this happened to be the case when starting her journey going back to school for SWIHA’s 1000 hr Massage Therapy program as well as being ordained through the Spiritual Coaching program. Libby shares, “I wanted to do the massage therapy program there (SWIHA) for at least 5 years before I actually started. By the time I finally started I absolutely knew I would be walking the right path. Being a longtime yoga practitioner and my love for yoga adjustments brought me to massage. I am passionate about massage and it lights up my soul. I love being able to connect one on one with people individually. And to indeed be of service to them in mind, body, and spirit.”

“I had my own journey with wellness before SWIHA; however, learning here has really expanded my mind and elevated my growth with all of the tools and knowledge. I was led to SWIHA after becoming passionate about my own health and wellness journey, my mother's health, and wanting to expand my massage therapy practice to further be able to help others. I love all things holistic and feeling healthy! Helping others reach their wellness goals is very fulfilling.”

“I had settled into a comfort zone before SWIHA. Back in 2008, I decided I wanted to become a massage therapist, and I wanted to get out of the Midwest and start my life over in Arizona. I bought a plane ticket and scheduled a tour of SWIHA, then met a guy who wanted me to stay in the Midwest. I took the trip, toured the school, and really liked it, yet I let that guy talk me into staying and going to massage school in St. Louis, closer to home. We divorced in 2018 -- turns out living someone else's dream doesn't lead to much happiness. Over the years I've become passionate about mental health, from healing from the traumatic birth of my son in 2011 to navigating divorce, and seeing how my massage clients could gain so much more healing if they worked on their emotional health as much as they worked on their physical health. I had my eye on life coaching, and what popped up on my first Google search was SWIHA! Things came full circle, and I took it as a sign.”

Southwest Institute of Healing Arts found its humble beginning as a Massage Therapy school wanting to do things a little differently. Our dream has grown, our campus has expanded, and Massage Therapy is still one of the amazing programs we offer. Over the years, we have graduated hundreds of well-rounded, talented healers that are thriving as stand-outs in this booming industry.

A recent survey of massage therapists revealed that 88% report being satisfied in their career. Considering that the average job satisfaction rate among Americans is 51%, today we are going to analyze the many reasons why massage therapists LOVE what they do!

As a massage therapist, you are consistently educating yourself on new techniques and modalities to better serve your clients. After all, you have been called to be a healer and improve the lives of others! You’re already aware of the transformative effect that bodywork has, and today we’ll look at some reason you may want to consider adding Hypnotherapy to your skill set to truly integrate mind-body-soul wellness.

Healing arts are more popular than ever, and one of the most accessible (and versatile) modalities is Massage Therapy. In addition to being a relaxing spa experience, it is now widely used in medical settings for pain management, stress reduction, and in conjunction with traditional treatments. Sessions can be both preventative and restorative, which means that no one doesn’t need a massage!

Southwest Institute of Healing Arts began as a humble massage school in Arizona. In honor of those roots, we’ll look at three reasons you’ll absolutely love a career in Massage Therapy:

“I now know my worth and my life's purpose,” declares Marquita Almodova-Keeme, a Massage Therapy and Life Coaching graduate.

Marquita was seeking a new career in a peaceful environment and, to her, massage seemed like the most logical choice. She was being called to serve others, and her first day of Cranial Unwinding with Lisa Kearn was a defining moment on her journey: “That’s when I started to embrace the spiritual teachings of SWIHA,” she tells us.

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.”

Healing arts are more popular than ever, and one of the most accessible (and versatile) modalities is Massage Therapy. In addition to being a relaxing spa experience, it is now widely used in medical settings for pain management, stress reduction, and in conjunction with traditional treatments. Sessions can be both preventative and restorative, which means that no one doesn’t need a massage!

Southwest Institute of Healing Arts began as a humble massage school in Arizona. In honor of those roots, we’ll look at three reasons you’ll absolutely love a career in Massage Therapy:

Ask Loren Evans what the greatest lesson he has learned in his 22 years at SWIHA, and he’ll tell you this: “The Universe will never present an opportunity that we are not prepared for.” While he may not have envisioned becoming an instructor at SWIHA or a well-traveled massage therapist, it was a journey and an opportunity that he was certainly ready to seize.

Loren was introduced to massage therapy through his former wife, who had suggested that the pair sign up for a community education massage class close to home in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the time, Loren was employed as a software designer for healthcare companies. This demanding career took him far and wide across the United States— and even internationally to places like India, where he helped complete a project involving open system design.