SWIHA Blog

Regina Bentley is a student in SWIHA’s Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner diploma program who’s using her story as a big vision for her future as a holistic entrepreneur.

A few years ago, Regina was bullied out of what was, at the time, her dream job.

“My physical, mental, and financial health were shattered,” she says, “The resulting anxiety and depression were almost unbearable.  There were so many times I wished I had someone to help me make sense of what happened and point me in the direction of recovery from the trauma. The post-traumatic stress disorder made it impossible for me to continue working in the same field.  So, I spent months doing research and informational interviews to figure out what to do for my next career.”

Serendipitously, April Sanchez found her calling while working in...a call center!

She tells us: “After being promoted to a team manager, I had a team of customer service agents that I conducted daily coaching and motivation with. I began to learn about a gift that I never realized I had. The performance of my team excelled and each of the individuals on my team grew, both professionally and personally.”

April wanted to continue to grow in her career and took positions that she thought she’d enjoy and be challenged by. However, she craved more one-on-one time coaching and motivating others than the positions provided and began to feel unmotivated and purposeless with the work she was doing.

Rocio Castellanos spent twelve years working in the medical field, and loved that she was able to merge her passion for helping others in to her career. However, after a decade of that work, she began to feel as though there was something more she should be doing.

“I just didn’t know what it was,” Rocio explains, “I now realize this is when my spiritual awakening began taking place..., I followed my heart and intuition, and then came across an ad for SWIHA on one of my social media accounts. I looked into it, I ordered a class catalog and before I knew it I had an interview with one of the advisors!

Four years ago, Maribel Hernandez was quickly climbing the corporate ladder at a large company and making great money. She knows that, for some, that is the ultimate goal. She explains to us, though: “I was miserable. My body was giving me signs that it was under too much stress. I was on edge. I wasn’t eating or sleeping well. I had been through a massive life-changing experience and had embarked on a ‘dark night of the soul’.”

During her search for health and happiness, Maribel was invited to a restorative yoga class and immediately fell in love with the practice. She began taking workshops and one-on-one yoga coaching to expand her knowledge and dedication to yoga.

Erin Murray believes that her life’s purpose is to serve the greater good, and she’s devoted the last fifteen years of her life to an education in many realms of holistic healing including Metaphysical Science, Reiki, and Intuitive Guidance. Erin knew she wanted to add Life Coaching to her repertoire, so she began to research programs that aligned with her mission, and found Southwest Institute of Healing Arts!

“It was the BEST decision that I made,” she tells us, “and the online course was exactly what I had been looking for.”

'Come All Ye Faithful' is a classic Christmas carol from the 1600’s, and encapsulates the invitation offered by Reiki Master Mary Ritter to Christians drawn Reiki as a healing modality.

“Yes, you can be a Christian and practice the energy-modality known as Reiki!” affirms Mary, the mind behind Holy Reiki. 

Candidly Mary shares, “There was a time in my life I may have been worried about what those in my church thought about Reiki. Today, the practice of Reiki has brought me even closer to my Christian foundations. It is Christ that I call upon when I am providing a hands-on healing experience.”

Many of us have the goal of making wellness a priority in 2019...but why not start today?

The Holiday season is busy with travel, shopping and plenty of get-togethers. We're often giving so much of our energy, that we may not even notice when our reserves are low until we're exhausted, foggy-brained and sometimes even sick. By remembering self-care, you can be more present (no pun intended!) for your loved ones and let the Universe know that we're ready and open to receive the good that's in store for the new year.

We created a 12-day challenge based on some of the programs here at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. If you decide to embark on this journey with us, let us know how it's going by using #SWIHAWellnessChallenge on social media! (Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see posts from our commUNITY!)

Southwest Institute of Healing Arts is unique in countless ways. Spend a few minutes browsing our classes and programs, and you’ll see everything from crystal healing to raw food cooking and even canine massage! You’ll find no other accredited college quite like us.

Understandably, a common question we receive is: What can I do when I graduate?
The only truthful response is: What do you WANT to do?

“It is our Soul’s divine journey into a still point, a quality that is filled with a richness of rhythm and harmony,” is how Jennifer Emperador, a SWIHA admissions coach and holistic practitioner, defines the practice of sound healing.

Jennifer has graduated from SWIHA’s Hypnotherapy, Life Coaching, Yoga and Yoga Nidra programs--just to name a few!--though, the modality she most has a passion for is sound healing.

“What’s there not to love?! I was introduced to sound healing back in 2010 and hooked ever since!“ says Jennifer, “All of my instruments emanate energy and I named them based on the energy they hold. For me, they are ‘alive’ and have developed a status of their own.”

Take a moment to picture yourself facing the ocean, with your toes in sand and your eyes closed as the wind caresses your skin. Are you feeling light, happy, and cleansed in that moment?

There’s a reason why: The unending movement of the ocean waves and resulting wind cause the physical location of the beach to vibrate at a higher frequency, thus positively affecting our sense of well-being. A mental or physical trip to the ocean is actually beneficial to your health. Pretty fascinating, right?