SWIHA Blog

Tami Sharp excels at seeing past people’s stories and emotions, right to the crux of what is going on beneath the surface. For most of her life, she was very good at hitting people’s nerves in order to get them into the healing work. She had a very impactful and ‘no- nonsense’ way of getting into the core of the matter. However, she lacked the skill set to be able to get to these same results through a more gentle, less abrasive way.  “My old way of helping people move forward in their story usually involved some sort of angry falling out where we would go a certain amount of time without speaking.  I had grown used to this process and knew I had done my part when I got a strong backlash response and they needed the time to process. All of the people I encountered in these instances did come back around into my life with a new found awareness and understanding of themselves and confirmed that what I had said was correct. They just weren’t in a place to understand or receive it at that time. If my delivery had been less cut throat, then I am sure their response would have been much more accepting.” 

Loree Bischoff had always been intrigued with what causes people to think a certain way, what makes them tick and what motivates them to do the things they do. “I’ve also always loved helping others so in 2007 I, along with my sister, developed a special event called ‘Motherhood Redefined’, a weekend seminar for mothers that ended up being very successful. My sister and I noticed that most of the mothers we knew were really struggling on some level with the balance – or lack of it – in their lives. We saw this great need for moms to have access to new tools and strategies for having a more balanced and fulfilling life.” The weekend event consisted of speakers, interactive workshops, and fun. At the time, Loree wasn’t familiar with life coaching as a profession, yet one of the speakers she had hired for the Motherhood Redefined event happened to be a life coach who specialized in working with mothers. It was then she knew that she really wanted to begin her own private coaching practice. So she picked the brain of the life coach she’d hired, looking for recommendations for training. One of the places she suggested Loree check out was the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA).

After enrolling in the Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner program, Ravynn Rohner’s first class at SWIHA was Transformational Life Coaching. She shook her head as she reflects, “I remember being awe-struck that weekend with the incredible power in 'the coaching questioning'. I realized that this is the type of work that gently forces someone to look into their hearts and psyche for the answers they’ve always been searching for. What a beautiful thought to know that we 'already know'. It's very comforting when you realize that even in the moments of doubt and darkness, we really do know what we're doing." After realizng how important this work was, she knew she wanted her life coaching certification, so she changed her entire class schedule around so she could experience and complete the entire program, plus Advanced Life Coaching with Richard Seaman, back in 2014.

When asked what led Caroline Zeller to SWIHA’s Life Coaching program, she responded, “I started at SWIHA wth Reiki to help myself recover from a stroke.  As attended, I heard about life coaching.  I knew I was meant to be there.   I always wanted to professionally help others, but didn't subscribe to the mainstream counselling model.  The rest was history.  Now, after coaching for a year, it has inspired me to obtain my Wellness Practitioner diploma, then my AOS in Transformational Psychology.”

Every coach has a favorite tool, and like many others she mentioned the Wheel of Balance. She feels that it gives her a clear and concise map into where her client is and where they want/need to go. However, she also loves the practice of “story busting”, which she learned from the “genius”Richard Seaman: “While all clients don't live in their stories, many do tend to get caught up in the past and carry it with them.  This tool is beautiful when it pulls the client out of the middle of their situation, allowing them to look at it in a different, unemotional way.” She has found that she often works with clients suffering from PTSD, ADHD, divorce, and grief recovery, stress management, and those trying to move past a trauma.

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.”

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 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!