SWIHA Blog

Karin Gunderson was a harpist with Hospice for eleven years, and people continually shared things with her that they had never shared with anyone else. In Karin's own words (see picture):

I wanted to be able to empower people to live their best life with the time they had left.

Karin has been a life coach for three years, and she feels she attracts those who feel "stuck" in their lives— whether by grief, limiting beliefs, or trauma — when they have a deep desire to move forward in their lives, these types of experiences can be properly managed.  “I specialize in helping people remove stuck emotions and grow spiritually.” Karin’s passion for this work is continually fueled by her client’s satisfaction and excitement, as they witness their own growth.

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.” 

The sudden death of Janet Ellis’ only sister in 1998 brought her to her knees and was the catalyst that ultimately brought her to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). “When I am emerging from a crisis, my usual response is to embark on some learning journey. In December 2006, I was completing what I thought would be my last semester at ASU.  I had earned a bachelor’s degree in Family and Human Development and a minor in Psychology and Gender Studies. I then decided that I wanted to apply to their Marriage & Family Therapy program,” said Janet.

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.

In 2014, Michele Root was first introduced to life coaching during a Self- Expression & Leadership Program at Landmark (a personal and professional growth, training, and development company) “I knew I found my calling. My life prior to that was not fulfilling, and I dreaded getting out of bed.” That October, she attended a Gifts and Graces at SWIHA and was instantly hooked. “I knew I wanted to take life coaching classes and found myself signed up for the AOS program with nutrition, hypnotherapy, & aromatherapy as an unexpected bonus." She had hopes that the coaching classes would ease her military transition back into civilian life, and then her passion for nutritional wellness took over. “My tip for future life coaches is simple - remain open to the unexpected!”

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.

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 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!