SWIHA Blog

Lori Beard has always considered herself to be a veteran in the field of life coaching, although she’s “officially” been a Life Coach for just a year. As a loving wife for more than twenty years and a mother of eight children, it’s no surprise that she possesses these natural gifts! “I’ve always been intrigued by the human mind and how others respond to circumstances. I love to learn from others and inspire them to step forward into their destined path of greatness.”

In her own words, “SWIHA helped me to release, resolve, reframe, and remove the baggage that was dragging me down for so long.” The teachers she had were all so positive and great mentors. “They knew how to challenge me to give me the best in a loving and caring way.”

For over 15 years, Joy Carter was a master’s level social worker and wanted to be able to have a business of her own. “At the time, I wasn't sure what I wanted my next career move to be, so I started to work with a life coach. During the sessions, it became clear that life coaching would be a great fit for me, as I would be able to be a holistic entrepreneur and continue to help others. “

About five years ago, Jonathan Siesel was struggling as a new resident of Arizona. He moved out here to be closer to his mom and to create a new life. His mom was actually working at SWIHA at the time, so naturally, he found himself roaming the campus quite a bit. Jonathan recounts his magical story of how he began his transformational SWIHA journey with us below:

One day, K.C. Miller saw me hanging out and approached me and said, "I See You." On the spot, she offered me an opportunity to take the Life Coaching program, and help me become the person we both knew I could become. Gratefully and humbly, I accepted her offer, and chose to take the Life Coaching program as my first class at SWIHA.

Kimberlie Faybik experienced a lot of difficulties in a short period of time: she battled cancer, lost her mother and grandmother within months of each other, and separated from her children's father. “I reached out for help because I felt lost. I was blessed to have many people care for me, however, one friend in particular happened to be a SWIHA graduate. She told me about the Mind-Body Transformational Psychology program, and I'm forever grateful for her guidance.” It was there where she learned how to love herself, how to forgive herself, and (in her own words), “how to be more understanding of my journey and honor the journey of others', as well.”

Krystel Renee began coaching people as a fifteen year old teen, before she  even knew what life coaching was. “As a young teen my dad made me enter beauty pageants, and I despised him for it,” recalled Krystel. She wanted to do martial arts, but her father wanted her to participate in more feminine activities. “So to 'stick it to the man' - my father - I would coach my competition and help them build confidence with their talents, all while doing their hair and makeup. My goal was to help these girls win, so he would quit making me compete.” It wasn't until her divorce occurred in 2013 that she discovered the life coaching program at SWIHA, and realized “I could get paid for this natural gift that I have and actually help more people!”

Krystel’s niche clientele are those that are struggling with PTSD and depression, or “those who have just lost the joy or sense of purpose in their life.” She also coaches a lot of military personnel and their families, as well as women in their 30's -50's. Krystel’s favorite life coaching tool is the Wheel of Balance. She shared how she enjoys “helping people gauge where they are at in all areas of their life and to help them finely focus on areas they want to be better.” In addition to coaching, she utilizes chakra balancing, neuro-kinesis, and laughter techniques to help her clients restore joy in their lives.

Gabriela Milan was always fascinated with psychology and the human mind, yet she knew that her passion didn’t lie in simply studying conventional psychology. She suffered through twelve years of depression and was suicidal. She knew that she had to make a shift in her life. “I hired a life coach and discovered the amazing benefits of holistic healing through coaching. I looked for a school with this type of program, yet none of them felt right until I found SWIHA - I just knew I was home!”

In 2013, Faith Yanez made a life changing decision to completely resign from the corporate world. Her four children were out of the house and on their own, and she felt that this was her time to follow her dreams and deepest desires. “I've always done what I needed to do in my life,” shared Faith, “but now it was time to do what I wanted to do!” A friend of hers suggested that she check out SWIHA and like the thousands before her, ended up in the Life Coaching program.

Cherise Williams feels like her whole life was leading her to the point of enrolling in the Life Coaching program at SWIHA. She says she went through a lot of hard times in life, experiencing sexual abuse, emotionally and physically abusive relationships, drug and alcohol abuse, and self-loathing. However, she always felt she had a purpose, that she was supposed to do something life changing and helpful to other people. Like many other life coaches experience, Cherise feels like she’s been a coach all her life! She says this about SWIHA:  “I've been officially coaching now for about six months and I'm loving every single moment! The program at SWIHA gave me the confidence and tools needed to not only continue to help myself but to be able to serve others in a professional and profound way.”

In 2010, Gisele Marasca was at major turning point in her life. “I had to close my graphic design and publishing company (mostly due to the 2008 economic crisis) and file for bankruptcy. I lost my 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 where she was feeling lost and confused about her next steps. “At a certain point, I realized that I needed to reinvent myself.” During her years as a graphic designer and publisher, she worked on the side as an energy healer. “I felt that the challenges I had gone through were a sign from the Universe that it was time to change my course, and find my true path. I decided that my 'on the side' work was going to become my main career and life path.”

It was at this point that she began researching schools 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 that SWIHA offered. I was also intrigued by the fact that its very rich curriculum included hypnotherapy and life coaching.” The fact that SWIHA offered online programs and is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education sealed the deal for her!

Cherie Lee believes she was receiving divine messages about attending SWIHA. One day she was researching online when she noticed an ad for SWIHA flashing across each page she landed on. Later, when watching television, she saw another ad; she decided to take it as a sign and called admissions.

When she got to the school, she and her admissions coach went over different programs, and she was immediately drawn to the Life Coaching class, so she signed. “I was so happy to be in this class, as it helped me so much. I loved it, and I became ‘addicted’ to the school. I completed the entire course, and I graduated as a Master Life Coach in October 2015. I have been life coaching, friends, family members, students and the public for a little over one year now.”