SWIHA Blog

“I guess you could say I've lived many lives before I found SWIHA,” says Serena Gosling, an Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner student who’s graduating this month,  “Spirituality always interested me, but I only scratched the surface.”

Serena explains that she spent much of her teens and early twenties using drugs as an escape. “I was still really lost, until about two and a half years ago,” she tells us, “I had a massive awakening and realized I wanted to help others heal. A few months later I found Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.”

Have you been noticing communication issues, technological mishaps, or difficulty with your emotions lately? Yep, it’s true: We are in Mercury Retrograde until July 31st. Fear not! There is a simple ceremony that may help relieve some of the tension.

Smudging is an ancient Indigenous American ritual with thousands of years of history and the ability to powerfully cleanse energies. If you’re looking to reduce emotional and spiritual negativity in your body and living space, a smudging ritual is an excellent way to do so and Mercury Retrograde is the perfect time!

Usually the SWIHA blog is full of inspiring stories, tips for holistic living and exciting updates about our programs. Today, I want to shift the dialogue a bit and talk about a topic that is emotional for many: violation of boundaries by a practitioner, spiritual leader or advisor.

We believe the way to empower survivors of abuse is through open, honest conversations, so we will be having one today. If you are sensitive to the topic of sexual abuse or harassment, please proceed reading mindfully.

Charlotte MacDonald describes her life before SWIHA as a pile of scattered puzzle pieces which she struggled to fit together.

“Being a queer teen and a missionary forced me to reconcile with my spirituality. As I allowed it to evolve and grow, I sought out a career path that would allow me to feel fulfilled as I left my evangelical roots behind,” says Charlotte.

She went on to discover the Spiritual Studies certificate offered at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts and decided to pursue the Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner program. She tells us: “When I got here, I discovered so much more than I bargained for and began sorting through my story and opening to my healing process.”

“My life truly is my very own happy place,” Janell Erickson tells us, “I have found healing and health through holistic and inspirational living.”

Janell is a transformational coach, using an array of modalities to facilitate major shifts in the lives of her clients. Her path to SWIHA, however, was full of twists and turns!

“I had a totally different lifestyle,” Janell explains, “I was married, raised two step-sons, lived by the Colorado River, worked as a human resource manager, as well as owned a thriving ice cream truck business and eventually a steakhouse. And then the low tide of life swept in and set me up for the next part of my journey.  I survived an alcoholic husband, bankruptcy and finally divorce.

Maybe you dream of giving your own Ted Talk, motivating others to follow their dreams, or speaking at a professional convention about your area of expertise. There’s one inevitable piece of the puzzle for those with a message to share: public speaking.

The thought strikes fear in to many, and it’s understandable! However, once you become comfortable talking in front of larger groups, you will more easily connect to smaller groups and within your personal relationships. Public speaking will help uncover a deeper part of yourself, making you more authentic and interesting on and off stage.

If you make a point to center yourself before stepping on stage, you may just have the time of your life!

Rudy Frame is a Massage Therapist, Yoga Teacher and currently pursuing the 700-hour Western Herbalism program at SWIHA. He’s been a SWIHA student since 2005, when he took a course on Gua Sha while working in a chiropractor's office.

He tells us: “I took a different route of service for six years in the United States Marine Corps, traveled the world and completed a Bachelor’s degree. However, government work was no longer appealing to me. Like a light bulb it hit me: go back to SWIHA and work on my own healing journey from my short time of intense service in the Corps.”

Healing arts are more popular than ever, and one of the most accessible (and versatile) modalities is Massage Therapy. In addition to being a relaxing spa experience, it is now widely used in medical settings for pain management, stress reduction, and in conjunction with traditional treatments. Sessions can be both preventative and restorative, which means that no one doesn’t need a massage!

Southwest Institute of Healing Arts began as a humble massage school in Arizona. In honor of those roots, we’ll look at three reasons you’ll absolutely love a career in Massage Therapy:

Many health-conscious eaters seek to eliminate most added sugars from their diet. However, sometimes you need a sweet treat! Today, we’ll be looking at substitutes for refined, white sugar and how to use them in baked goods.

It’s likely you know someone who’s chosen to follow a gluten-free diet, whether it’s due to Celiac’s disease, a wheat sensitivity or just in an effort to live a little healthier. There are many reasons to consider reducing or removing gluten from your menu, including:

• Wheat is a common allergy, and a sensitivity to it may go undetected for years.
• Gluten rapidly converts to glucose in the body, which can spike insulin levels.
• Wheat has little-to-no nutritional value, due to it’s highly processed nature.
• Gluten may reduce the production of digestive enzymes needed for nutrient absorption.

Today, we’ll be looking at how to make a universally-loved food gluten-free and vegan: Pizza!

This recipe can be modified in many ways to fulfill any craving. It’ll surely be love at first bite!