SWIHA Blog

“Life coaching is for anyone who wants to improve an area of their life that is important to them,” explains Virenda Swarup, a SWIHA Life Coaching graduate, “It could be to do with their relationships, job, disturbing/troubling stressful thoughts, self-confidence, lifestyle, sudden transition or anything that is important to the individual in living a more satisfying and creative life.”

“I love being a Life Coach because I found how to be of service to others in a way that overflows my cup,” says Andrea Pohl, SWIHA graduate and founder of Owl Wisdom Holistic Coaching. She has always been drawn to serving others, and spent a decade in various positions of the restaurant and hospitality industries, an industry she was introduced to while studying Psychology in college.

“I would define Life Coaching as seeing an individual with unique qualities and abilities, assisting the human in seeing themselves in the same way,” says Hali Benson, SWIHA graduate and founder of Blossom Services, “This then allows them to live according to their highest Self and find the truth they need to be freed to live authentically. As a life coach, I give them tools and accountability to speak and do as they would like to speak and do.”

Stefanie Booker Atchison came to SWIHA during a difficult chapter of her life: “The economic downturn of the housing/mortgage crisis hurt me like it did a lot of others. It robbed me of my job, my comfortable salary and my home. It took my savings and my self-esteem, too. By the time I made my way to Arizona, I was halfway through my unemployment benefits and working an entry-level position at a local law firm. While I was grateful for the work, I was in an office job that didn't speak to who I was.”

“I never felt more at home on a campus, calm, or more intrinsically motivated to learn than at SWIHA,” says Kay Vallely, owner of Revive Coaching, “The lessons I learned are all applicable, meaningful and useful.”

Kay explains that her love of learning ultimately guided her to serve as a Life Coach. She was studying communications and developing her crisis intervention skills while working with family support services.

Before becoming a Life Coach, Samantha McManaway-Hanks was struggling to find who she was. “I ended up in the hospital with an infection and my whole life turned upside down,” she shares, “I was once super healthy and then one day, I was extremely sick. I then started to have to find ways to deal with stress, health, and everything else. That’s what lead me to SWIHA.”

When she’s not in SWIHA’s teaching kitchen supervising and inspiring future Nutrition coaches, Janet Lee has her own thriving business, A Healthy Journey, which combines her passion for health with Life Coaching principles to assist her clients in leading fulfilling, wellness-centered lives.

“I welcome curious individuals willing to explore what is not working in their lives. Encouragement, education and excitement are shared to open up to new possibilities, creativity and opportunity for health, happiness and wholeness!” Janet explains.

“I love being a life coach because I am given the opportunity to witness women stepping into their power,” says Sharon Rose of The Goddess Leadership Academy, “I get to see her glow when she has a new awareness, a new idea, a new action to take. Being able to support her through this and hold the space for her transformation if a gift.”

“It also supports me in my own growth in my business and personal life,” she continues, “I can only expect my clients and students to go as far as I am willing to go, so I am always striving to expand myself.”

Toe Reading, as we know it at SWIHA, is almost 20 years old this year, and in that time approximately 2000 people have been trained in the art of Toe Reading, both in the United States and Japan!

Toe Reading is based on the theory that the body holographically records the stories of our lives which then causes the toes to depict what one’s journey has been like. It has been well documented that everything that happens in your life -- the story and the emotions -- are stored as cell memory; each bump, lump, crease and crevice means something.

Becca Briley is an Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner as well as a Holistic Nutrition Specialist, Transformational Life Coach, Toe Reader / Soul Coach, Yoga Teacher, soon-to-be Ordained Minister, and Reiki Practitioner. She is a life-long student who has taught Life Coaching and Spiritual Traditions online for SWIHA. Becca now teaches "Mission Possible" on-campus, to support students in building their businesses as they step into their purpose and power.

“There is nothing more beautiful to witness than light-workers embracing and fulfilling their life missions,” she tells us.