SWIHA Blog

We all know what it’s like to have someone be critical of us; some of us take it with more grace than others. However, instead of looking at a comment as negative or demeaning, imagine considering the critics in your life as ‘Messengers of Courage’. For you to face whatever comment or criticism they toss out, takes courage on your part, and it gives you an opportunity to do a moral inventory of who you really are, where you stand in the world, and exactly what the truth is about yourself!

One of my biggest moments of courage in facing a critic happened a few years ago during a Celebrate Your Life event in Scottsdale, Arizona. For years, Mishka Productions, created by Ariel Wolfe and her daughter Liz Dawn, have been bringing best-selling authors and new-age thought leaders together for a weekend of intense spiritual growth. It has been my honor to be a part of the conference from almost the beginning, partly because long before the Celebrate Your Life events began, I was friends with Ariel Wolfe.

In 2015, Gena Hailey and her family were going to the doctor a lot for colds, to the point where they were spending a lot of money on co-pays and prescription drugs. Most of the time, the treatments didn’t even work. She had been doing internet searches on home remedies, and now and then, she would accidentally come across articles that mentioned holistic healing. She admitted that at the time, she wasn’t even sure what holistic meant. She ended up seeing an ad for the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). “I was like (imagine a soft, high-pitched voice), ‘What is this magic they speak of?’ Ha! Within that next week I had researched the school, the programs they offered, and spoke to an Admissions Coach - and I was absolutely ecstatic to enroll in the Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner program with a focus on Urban Farming & Conscious Living, and begin the journey that would eventually teach me that ‘magic’ and end up a #GreatGraduate.”

Toe Reading is a unique and captivating healing art, which uses active listening, powerful, soul-searching questions, and deeply skilled insight to help people create change in their lives. It is the art of sitting before someone and witnessing their very being, their life story. Toe Reading is based on the theory that each individual records a holograph of the story of their life and stores it within the body. The position and shape of the toes contain this story, which can be read by a skilled practitioner.

Over ten years ago, Juan Te Daily remembers hearing about Life Coaching on one of her favorite TV shows and how coaches help their clients navigate through life’s many challenges. She grew up in her own challenges of South Central, Los Angeles, watching friends and family deal with drug addictions and financial trouble. However, she remained motivated to stay on a more responsible and healthy path. Seeing her older brother strung out lying in the streets saddened her, and Juan Te attributes much of her empathetic nature to these memories. So when she heard there was a profession of supporting people in a way that enriches their lives, she thought she’d look into it. She found Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) online and even wrote down the information on life coaching. It was more than ten years later that she happened to come across that piece of paper, and after many challenges with work and scheduling, she found herself in the Transformational Life Coaching program at SWIHA.

Niki Meadows was at a point in her life that she knew she no longer wanted to climb the corporate ladder. She wanted to step into work that fulfilled her so she could use her talents and gifts. “I felt drawn to life coaching even though I didn't know exactly what it was. I did some online research and the more I discovered the more my heart raced. After being disappointed with the program at another facility, I decided to pursue another option. I knew SWIHA was a match for me after a phone conversation with an admissions advisor. I enrolled for the upcoming session and have been coaching ever since I completed the course this past summer.” 

Stephanie Parejamaas decided to have a shift in her career field from Marriage and Family Therapy to Life Coaching. She wanted to create a different space to work with her clients in, based on their goals in creating the life they want. “I wanted to focus on their future looking at what they can do today, in order to truly achieve their goals. When I found the Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner Program at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) I knew it was what I was looking for.” It spoke to her on all levels and she was thrilled to feel the shift in her career. Now she has been providing Life Coaching services through her Live Happy Wellness practice since 2015.

The life coaching tool that Stephanie values most is a powerful follow-up question. “I think a great question can really open up the thought process for a client and allow them to dive into themselves and discover what they may have been overlooking before. This can lead to change or embracing their self-discovery.” 

The story behind Tammy Coin getting to the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) is a long one. When she enrolled at SWIHA, she wasn't really sure of her direction. She arrived with a Masters in Human Relations Counseling and since her own life journey was connected to holistic practices, she opted to enroll in the Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner diploma program, rather than a degree program.  At the time of my enrollment in September 2014, she had several life issues taking place, and she was about to leave town for the birth of her first grandchild. Since she did not have a specific direction in mind, she opted for the Holistic Nutrition program and the Polarity program.  A few months in, she went through her required 20-hour Life Coaching weekend.  ”I KNEW it was for me, yet I wasn't sure how I was going to work in Life Coaching because my schedule was already full.  Shortly after that, I completed my required 20 hours in Hypnotherapy.  As much as I was enjoying Polarity, I KNEW that Life Coaching & Hypnotherapy complimented my Masters degree and was absolutely the right choice for me.” By this time, she had completed Polarity 1, Polarity Reflexology, & Cranial Unwinding.  She is so grateful for that knowledge, yet she knew where she was being led.  By the time she graduated, she had completed 120 hours of Life Coaching, Hypnotherapy 101 (on-campus) and Hypnotherapy 201 and Hypnotherapy 301 online. “ I guess in the technical sense, I have been coaching for about one year.  In the literal sense, I have been coaching my entire life. ”  

Sharon Rose originally came to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) for Yoga Teacher Training (YTT), thinking she would only train 200 hours. She quickly realized that it was not enough and joined the 800-hour YTT program, chose Yoga Nidra & Holistic Nutrition as her specialties. While working at a yoga studio during her schooling, she became good friends with one of the instructors. Once, when Sharon was helping her friend work on her resume and Instagram account, her friend turned and looked at her and said, ""You know, you should be a life coach", to which I quickly responded with, ‘What on earth is a life coach?’"

From there, the Universe didn’t hold back. All of the sudden Sharon was in two Mastermind groups on Facebook and being contacted by coaches. It didn’t take long for her to look into SWIHA a bit more and find out that life coaching was an option for her. “I paused my Yoga Nidra training and picked up my coaching certification. I haven’t looked back since. I have been coaching since June 2016 but am excited to say that I have officially just launched my signature programs and brand in November.” 

At a young age, Sue Shapiro recognized that her words could either cause harm or help someone feel better, and she believes this knowing came from the near death experience she had at the age of four. This inner knowing was a frightening space for her to be in because most people could not accept that a little one could be so perceptive, so she eventually shut down and was so painfully quiet and shy, that her grandmother thought there was something wrong with her.  

Tom Leegstra was stuck in life, and he had no idea where to go next. Then he read a book and took a course where a friend of his recommended the Transformational Life Coaching program at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). After debating for a few months, he decided to take the plunge and do it, with the aim of helping others to change the direction of their lives, and never did her stop and think that may he was the one who needed coaching the most! He has now been coaching for a little over a year now, and this includes coaching himself every day!

The tools that changed Tom’s life for the better were the ones that used guided imagery around dreams, which require us going within to finding our goals and aspirations. “This has created a completely new path in life for me to go next. Along with the ‘Values Prioritizer’, this also has changed my life for the best, and it was the catalyst in my understanding what I needed to work on most.” He loves to use the ‘More or Less’ tool with his clients, as it’s one of his favorites and it's quick and easy to use. When people get to see, side by side, what they need to do less of, impacts what they want more of. He also loves working on forgiveness with clients since it does so many positive things and opens many doors.