SWIHA Blog

Kimmi O cites her own transformational journey, her natural gift of teaching, and her “mega desire to be an instrument of the Divine - helping others embrace their Authenticity,” all as motivating forces to become a life coach.  “I am officially building my coaching business, however I have practiced for many years with willing clients in my hair salon chair.” Kimmi also noted that she’s going to begin the Advanced Life Coaching program in January of 2017.

Kimmi shared that her clientele base is usually in the “Relationship/Single/Dating” realm. “I believe the root of all relational challenges stem from not being true to our authenticity. I call myself an ‘Authenticity Coach’ with the tag line - TruthBeam.”

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!”

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.

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.”

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.”

Durga believes that she was a born healer and has been helping people since childhood, yet she wanted the training and proper tools, so she enrolled in the Life Coaching program at SWIHA. One of the most valuable things she learned during her program was to accept herself as she was. Perhaps the better relationship she formed with herself is why she attracts clients who are working on the present relationships in their lives such as parents, siblings, spouses, and the self.

To other potential students or ones in the program already, she urges you to “listen to your heart and believe in yourself. Everyone is unique with your own style, and there are people out there waiting for you and your style of coaching.” What keeps Durga passionate about coaching is the need for more life coaches. “There is nothing like seeing a smile of relief on your client’s face because they have let go of something that they have been bound to for so long.”

It was “complete serendipity,” says Alexis Holland, that led her into the Life Coaching program at SWIHA. She feels that she is just beginning to kick off her coaching career through her business called Harmonious Holistics. She has been working with a small amount of clients for the past year and a half.

She loves asking her clients ‘high mileage’ questions, or deep questions that get them to find the answers they had no idea they were searching for. “It’s all about the questions you ask… and in order to ask the right question, you must listen to your client first.”

Alexis shared with me that her niche market are women in corporate America who are just beginning to seek a more fulfilling way of living. For example, they don’t quite understand the difference between organic and GMO; they don’t really know how to cook, but they want to learn. They eat out most of the time because they are so busy. Most of them are sick of the party lifestyle that lacks depth and meaningful connection, and they most importantly want to prevent the health problems they witnessed their parents go through or other loved ones in their families. Many are ready to embrace a healthier lifestyle and are excited to lose some weight and engage in a better way of living surrounded by good people. “I have found that the more you define who “he or she” is, the larger your audience becomes.”

Bella Neumann showed up at SWIHA because that was just part of her life journey. From being a big sister/mom to her younger sister at such a young age, all the way to being the person who helped her father into his next plane of consciousness (eternal rest), the techniques she’s learned through SWIHA’s program have assisted her through it all.

She is now 52 years old, and she has grown and developed every age of her life. This is a profound insight she has had, looking back on it all: “I am a daughter, a big sister, a mother, and grandmother (they call me Yaya) and am a friend and confidant to many. I only point that out, because I feel if we do not find ourselves on each side of a situation, there is no room for growth.” She says she has been on all sides of any given situation, and even though she may have found herself completely stuck in one point of view when first approached, through growth and opening her heart to how others may handle the same situation, she has found herself able to not only understand, but welcome, her own change of mind, heart, and soul.

Reine Matthews was diagnosed with Lyme disease four years ago and decided to treat it naturally. Having felt and seen firsthand how taking the natural holistic route really worked and helped inspired her to share it with others so they, too, can find health and wellness inside and out. “I researched holistic schools online and found Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) and it just felt like a perfect fit for what I wanted to do and learn.” She went on to study Mind- Body Transformational Psychology specializing in Holistic Nutrition, Urban Farming, and Life Coaching.