When life delivers unexpected challenges, some people lose their way — and others, like Nika Shelton, find their purpose.
Before enrolling in the Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner (IHAP) program at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Nika’s life was filled with uncertainty. A traumatic car accident left her in a wheelchair for months, forcing her to fight both physically and mentally to recover.
“Life before SWIHA brought very much uncertainty on a daily basis,” Nika shares. “A traumatic event in my life led me to SWIHA. I was in a very bad car accident that left me in a wheelchair for months, and the mental fight to learn how to walk again and cope with the events of the accident led me to a special angle that led me to SWIHA.”
With a background as a Certified Nursing Assistant and a former home healthcare business owner, Nika had always possessed a heart for service. Yet, it was through SWIHA’s IHAP program that she found a new and deeper way to help others. “Through the IHAP program, I found the most rewarding way to do just as I love,” she says.
Trusting the Process and Finding Alignment
For Nika, every step in the program felt like divine confirmation that she was on the right path. “Throughout my entire journey here at SWIHA, every week-to-week learning and assignment aligned with my day-to-day life, and that was enough confirmation for me.”
The process of studying healing arts became part of her personal transformation. “I have not only healed on this journey - I have been able to heal others all while learning,” she reflects. “I have grown so much on this journey, and I couldn't ask for a better way to grow! SWIHA has changed my way of life and way of thinking dramatically!”
Expanding Her Calling
While continuing her studies, Nika is integrating her new skills into her business and planning for future endeavors. “I am trying to add my learnings to my current business while mapping out how to also take my learnings to a bigger agenda,” she says.
Her dreams extend far beyond entrepreneurship — she hopes to use her healing gifts to serve those in some of life’s most difficult circumstances. “I plan to go into prison ministry. I would love to take the Death Doula course to be able to help families and their loved ones who are facing the outcome of death row,” she shares with compassion and purpose.
Nika currently owns a luxury outdoor picnic company, and she envisions weaving her healing arts training into her events and future ministry work — creating spaces of peace, connection, and transformation.
Lessons from the Journey
When asked about her greatest takeaways, Nika shares two profound lessons: one personal and one professional.
“The greatest lesson I have personally learned is to not act out of emotions and to think things through.”
“The most professional lesson I have learned is that actually hearing someone out is really a skill — to not prepare yourself with your response, rather, to be led by the divine to respond. That is a true gift.”
She also credits Lori Dye and the Toe Reading class as impactful parts of her education, nurturing her understanding of intuitive connection and holistic healing.
Words of Wisdom
For future students considering a healing journey of their own, Nika offers heartfelt advice:
“Trust the process and don’t give up — no matter what life brings or how others may feel about it.”
Through every challenge and triumph, Nika embodies the essence of holistic healing: transforming personal pain into purpose and extending that healing outward to others. Her journey is a reminder that even in life’s darkest moments, there is always a path toward light, growth, and service.
🌿 Are you ready to begin your own healing journey?
Explore the Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner Program at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) and discover how you can turn your passion into purpose.
