When Desarie Lee first found SWIHA, she wasn’t seeking a certificate—she was seeking spiritual alignment. Already practicing Reiki and deeply connected to the metaphysical world, Desarie had read Journey of Souls and felt called to guide others toward the magic and depth of the spirit realm. After a transformative “life between lives” session with a hypnotherapist who happened to be a SWIHA graduate, Desarie’s path was clear. Spirit said “YES,” and so did she.
Desarie enrolled in SWIHA’s Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner diploma program, specializing in Spiritual Coaching and Earth Ceremonies. What she discovered wasn’t just a new career path—it was a complete inner transformation.
“I truly have a tool bag of tools for myself, my kids, and my clients. I feel like Dora's backpack.”
Throughout her studies, Desarie found herself consistently blown away by the synchronistic alignment between her life and her coursework. After surviving cycles of ancestral trauma and family dysfunction, she would often find herself spontaneously creating her own healing rituals. When she returned to her homework, she was astonished to find that the lessons were guiding her step-by-step through what she had just intuitively done. It was as if Spirit was walking beside her the entire way.
Her personal growth was nothing short of quantum. Desarie shifted from reactive parenting to emotional regulation, from codependency to embodied self-love. She developed structure and spiritual routines for herself and her children, healed generational wounds, and unearthed new spiritual gifts—such as prophetic dreaming and the ability to transmute grief for others.
“I’ve pulled from different dimensions to manifest my healing in this one.”
Professionally, Desarie is now grounded in a role at a garden center, where the plants reflect her own healing journey. Although she’s not seeing clients in a traditional office setting, her work hasn’t paused. Spirit continues to place people on her path. Whether at the store or in passing conversation, Desarie meets others where they are—with love, empathy, and healing wisdom.
“Every conversation, job, grocery trip—there is always an opportunity to offer growth and healing. And I find that it finds me.”
Among the many lessons Desarie gained at SWIHA, GRIT was one of the most important. She describes nearly quitting her studies multiple times due to life circumstances and burnout. However, with encouragement from teachers like Jacqueline, Gisele Marasca, and Jodi Johnson, Desarie stayed the course. She now stands on the other side, with a diploma and a renewed sense of purpose and spiritual sovereignty.
“This has been the most fulfilling, amazing, exhausting, wonderful journey of my life thus far.”
To future students, Desarie offers this advice: “Don’t stress about perfection. Do the enrichment activities. Dive into Yellowdig. Connect with your community. Watch the YouTube videos. And most importantly—don’t give up because the growth you’ll experience might just change everything.”
Are You Ready to Walk Your Healing Path?
Just like Desarie, your calling may be waiting to be fully activated. SWIHA’s Integrative Healing Arts programs offer the tools, teachers, and community to help you align with your highest path.
