At Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), we often say that every student carries a spark—a calling that draws them to healing work not just for others—for themselves too. For recent graduate Isea Natalie Reid, that spark has become a radiant flame. A proud Jamaican mother, healer, entrepreneur, and survivor, Isea’s journey through SWIHA’s Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner program with a concentration in Spiritual Coaching and Earth Ceremonies has been one of profound transformation, both inside and out.
Before the Healing: A Life Ready for Change
Before enrolling at SWIHA, Isea describes her life as “chaotic and ungrounded.” As a single mother healing from deep childhood trauma, she felt the call to do more with the intuitive gifts she had always sensed within herself. Like many of our students, Isea wasn’t just searching for a job—she was seeking a purpose.
“I knew I had a gift I wanted to share with the world,” she reflects. “I wanted to go back to school for something I was passionate about—not just something that would pay the bills.”
That search led her to metaphysical studies and eventually to SWIHA, where she found a community that would support her academically, spiritually, emotionally, and creatively.
The Classes That Changed Her Life
Every course in the program seemed to arrive with divine timing. “Life was life-ing,” she laughs, recalling the swirl of responsibilities—kids, work, school, dinner, chores. Yet somehow, right when she needed it, a class would present the perfect lesson.
“I remember one on scheduling and creating rituals of renewal. It came at the perfect time. Every class gave me tools I could apply in real time—for myself, and those I serve.”
Through breathing techniques, somatic practices, and grounding rituals, Isea learned to embody the very healing she wanted to offer others. Her transformation wasn’t abstract—it was visible. “I’m calmer, more focused, more grounded. I have a new happiness inside me.”
From Student to Entrepreneur: The Birth of My Goddess Advice Enterprise
With a second LLC under her belt, Isea is stepping fully into her role as a serial entrepreneur and space holder. Her business, My Goddess Advice Enterprise, was born out of her desire to offer culturally grounded, spiritually rich healing to those who often feel unseen.
“I want to create real, raw, relatable spaces that feel like home—especially for those healing from trauma. For people like me who’ve felt outcast.”
Her current offerings include somatic movement classes and the development of Yoga Nidra-based experiences. With every service, she is carving out new pathways for healing—infusing her clients’ lives with the same compassion and clarity she has cultivated in her own.
Boundaries, Autonomy, and the Power of Voice
One of Isea’s greatest breakthroughs during her time at SWIHA came from releasing perfectionism and embracing self-grace.
“I used to focus so much on grades that I wasn’t actually absorbing the wisdom. I learned that our parents’ expectations can create cycles of self-doubt. That insight was profound. It gave me autonomy.”
Another gift was learning the power of boundaries—not as barriers, rather as sacred containers. “I offer support and I respect boundaries. For many of my clients, it’s the first time they’ve experienced that.”
Inspired by Educators, Empowered by Her Truth
Isea’s growth was guided by powerful mentors who helped her heal and rise. She credits instructors like Jodi Johnson, Sherry Fragosa, and Gisele Marsca with offering academic support and maternal wisdom.
“As someone without a relationship with my parents, their feedback meant so much to me as a mom and woman.”
Their presence helped Isea tap into her own maternal strength—one she now pours into her community, her clients, and her children.
Words for the Journey: Advice for Future Students
If she could offer one message to future SWIHA students, Isea would say:
“Do it. Start. Restart if you have to—as many times as needed. This program is about more than a career. It’s an opportunity to find your voice and express it with power.”
From Survivor to Sovereign
Today, Isea proudly identifies as a survivor, healer, and spiritual guide. Her story is steeped in ancestral strength—Jamaican Maroon and Taino heritage flows through her work, reminding us all that healing is not just possible—it’s inevitable when we walk in truth.
“I lead with my truth, my story, my intuition, and sovereignty,” she affirms. “Healing is possible. I’m proof.”
To Isea Natalie Reid, we say: Thank you. For your courage. For your clarity. For your commitment to being the light you once sought.
You are a shining embodiment of what SWIHA stands for: purposeful education, powerful transformation, and heart-led entrepreneurship.
