When the Universe calls, sometimes it takes a while before we’re ready to answer. For SWIHA graduate Bethany Radakovich, that call came again and again—until she finally said yes.
“I began my journey last February, after many promptings from the Universe to investigate and enroll,” Bethany shared. “It’s been a very wonderful experience that I dearly wish I had been able and aware to start much, much earlier. It has felt like this is where I was meant to be all along.”
Bethany recently graduated from SWIHA’s Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner Program, a path that gave her new professional direction and brought deep personal healing after a time of loss and uncertainty.
Before discovering SWIHA, Bethany’s life had fallen into a season of challenge and searching. “Before SWIHA, my life was scattered and shattered,” she reflected. “I had lost my job of nearly 10 years the year before and had been desperately searching for a direction to actually go in to move my life forward. I had been slipping into deep depression, and seeing the ads for SWIHA really inspired me and gave me hope for my future.”
That spark of hope became the beginning of a powerful transformation. Initially drawn to Death Doula work, Bethany realized she had already been walking that path instinctively for years—providing comfort, compassion, and presence for those nearing the end of life.
“It was very important to me that no one should face their end with fear or alone,” she said. “Having died many times myself in this lifetime (yes, I am like a cat... seven down so far!), I feel I come from the angle of I know there is nothing to fear, there is peace waiting on the other side of that door. If I can ease someone’s transition to the next phase of their existence, then my life is being well spent.”
Bethany recalls a “defining moment” early in her studies when she knew she was exactly where she needed to be: “The first day of my first official Death Doula class, I just fell right into it. I was hooked, checking out refresher books on the various death rituals around the world and for different religions—it really fueled my enthusiasm. Every step of the courses just sank me in deeper and deeper into my inner knowing.”
Through her coursework, she discovered a natural alignment with her purpose. “I felt so very comfortable with the idea of being a living Psychopomp,” she said with a smile. “Even discussing what I was learning with friends and family just felt so natural to me, like breathing.”
Since graduating, Bethany’s life has transformed in profound ways. “My life has improved vastly since my beginning,” she shared. “I am on more solid ground, my depression has nearly disappeared, and any doubts about my future are eradicated. I look forward to the future now—my business, my potential clients, my impact on my community—all of it seems like a shining beacon on a hilltop.”
Today, she’s working with both volunteer and paying clients while collaborating with other holistic professionals to create a shared healing center. “We have bi-monthly get-togethers to talk about our plans and hopes for the collective,” Bethany said. “Every day is another step in the right direction.”
Her SWIHA education gave her the confidence to bring these dreams to life. “All of the classes and skills from SWIHA have been instrumental in me feeling confident in my abilities to actually move forward once everything with my partners comes together and be very successful.”
Reflecting on her greatest takeaway from her time at SWIHA, Bethany shared, “My greatest lesson has been I can do the difficult things, even when others say that I can’t. My own inner knowing is more accurate than anything anyone else has to tell me.”
She credits her instructors and classmates for helping her grow in both skill and spirit: “Every instructor has been impactful and instrumental in my gaining so much knowledge, experience, and confidence. I have loved every class so far—though I do admit the business classes caused me much tension! I’ve never liked that part of having a business, but I desperately needed the lessons. And Giselle makes it more fun than it should be.”
For anyone considering enrolling at SWIHA, Bethany’s message is simple yet powerful:
“Do it! Do the thing that is calling to you. Ignore the voices around you—or even in your own head—that try to make you feel like it’s not a good plan. It will improve your quality of life, your inner peace, and your joy in your own day-to-day. That gift is priceless, so don’t miss it.”
She encourages students to embrace both the challenges and the triumphs: “There will be dark and difficult moments, yet nothing in life worth having is going to be easy. It’s in the dark moments when we learn who we really are and what we can accomplish. Those classes that test your limits—that make you stretch yourself past your comfort zones—that’s where your growth and happiness lie.”
Beyond her healing work, Bethany leads a vibrant, multifaceted life. At 56, she is a proud mother, grandmother, artist, jewelry designer, mehndisian, and wildlife rehabilitator—working primarily with bats. She also dedicated 20 years of her early adulthood to counseling suicide and sexual assault survivors, helping others find light in their darkest hours.
“This journey has been the culmination of a lifetime of reaching and searching,” she reflected. “Every experience has led me here—to a place of peace, purpose, and possibility.”
Bethany’s story is a testament to the power of listening to your intuition and courageously following your calling—no matter your age, your past, or your challenges. Her journey through SWIHA’s Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner program reminds us that it’s never too late to align your life with your soul’s purpose.
If you feel the same calling to heal, help, and make a difference through holistic work, we invite you to explore SWIHA’s Holistic Healing programs and discover where your journey might lead.
And for SWIHA students and graduates ready to take the next step in their business journey, connect with our Student Services team to receive mentorship and support in bringing your vision to life.
Because, as Bethany beautifully reminds us—
“There is nothing to fear. There is peace waiting on the other side of that door.”