SWIHA Blog

When Alaric Kyle Hutchinson was nineteen and attending Scottsdale Community College, a friend of his, who knew him from high school, mentioned she was attending Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). Based on what she already knew of her friend, she suggested he check out their Life Coaching program.  Curious, Alaric toured SWIHA and eventually signed up only a few months later. “I was greatly fascinated by the combination of spirituality and psychology and that is what ultimately drew me in.” Alaric went on to graduate with a Mind-Body Transformational Psychology Associates Degree with certifications in Life Coaching, Reiki, and Spiritual Studies (ordained by KC Miller).

Ever since he was a child, this great graduate had visions of what he was born, in this life, to accomplish. Before SWIHA, he had never met any like-minded individuals, nor did he have an avenue in which he could explore the incredible mind, body, spirit connection- especially in such a clinic field like psychology. “SWIHA set me on the path to gain confidence and priceless hands-on experience that I would have never learned from a traditional college. My favorite part of attending all the classes was how we jumped into the work with real life experiences rather than focusing only on the academics side. In my eyes, it was a perfect balance and was key to my growth and learning.”

Most students who have signed up for Transformational Yoga Coaching (YO-506), show up Friday night at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts thinking, “I’m not sure what this is all about, however, we get to go hiking and do ceremony with the owner, KC Miller!” While this is a fair statement, what makes this work so powerful is the fascinating correlation between the body’s physical messages (ie, pain, tension, or disease) and the ancient metaphors within the asanas, or yoga poses. Coaches learn to master the Inquiry, or facilitated dialog, which brings awareness, release, and healing to their clients.  In TYC we call the coach the “Guide” and the client the “Seeker”.

My personal process with this type of coaching has been very cyclic. First, I was in the seat of the student, then the seat of the teacher, and then back to the student and back to the teacher, and well… you see the pattern. What I have learned is that the student is the teacher and the teacher is the student.  There is always something to learn and the beauty in my opportunity to teach these classes, which happen twice a year, is to be a witness of the cosmic union between students. They arrive together, learn this work by coaching each other, and then they leave, newly transformed, lighter Beings. There is always an energy between the classmates that is unique and special to their own experience and it is so rewarding to be part of it.  To watch a person’s eyes literally lighten and spark with new exuberance, after just a few sessions, speaks to the importance and effectiveness that transformational yoga coaching offers.

The monthly event, Gifts and Graces, is initially what brought Tara Walker-Munroe to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). That evening led her to enroll in the 800-hour Yoga Teacher Training program at Spirit of Yoga (SOY), SWIHA’s extended yoga school and studio. Now that she has graduated, Tara reflected that the first 200 hours of her Yoga Teacher Training were actually her favorite part of the entire program.

“There is such a sense of community that is built. So much love and compassion shared all while learning how to help others find themselves, find stillness, and cultivate peace. It's a beautiful experience. Even if someone is not interested in teaching, the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program is great for self discovery, self growth, self knowledge.”

During her yoga training, Tara found that her favorite teachers were Laura McKinzie, Duane Armitage, Aradhana Kaur, and India Bee. She shared that they all taught with compassion and grace. During her training, she learned the tools needed to succeed and were instilled with the confidence needed to face self-doubt. “I also have to say my fellow classmates inspired me. When you embark on such a journey, the opportunity for learning is all around you.” Tara wanted to add that she also loved her Polarity teachers- Gilad, Tracy, and Dina. In all honesty, she knows there are people she is leaving out so she shared that it's safe to say that she loved all her teachers at SWIHA/SOY.    

“I can’t believe the year is almost over!” Has this thought crossed your mind lately? It seems that during this time of year people start to wonder where they’ve been over the last couple of months. With the world becoming more hectic, with more responsibility, more stress, more technology, and less time to take care of ourselves, mindfulness can help us by become consciously aware of the present moment. Adding the practice of mindfulness to our daily lives can give rise to a happier and more vivid life.

Mindfulness can be described as a delicate and continuous act to be present with each moment. In the book, The Miracle of Mindfulness, by Thich Nhat Hanh, one can find many different acts that can be practiced during the day to have mindful moments. There are three that are simple to do every day, no matter where you are.

Walk in the moment.

Move more, think less.

Try conscious walking. When walking from point A to point B, our minds are usually cluttered with thoughts of the past or the future. By opting to take those moments during the day to be mindful, our stress levels will reduce and our minds will be clearer. To be mindful while walking, become consciously aware that you will be walking from point A to point B. Before you take the first step, take a deep breath and while exhaling, take the first step. As you continue to walk, take your awareness to the soles of your feet. Notice the heel touching the ground and notice how that feels. If you become aware of thoughts that are distracting you from the conscious awareness of walking, acknowledge them and bring the focus back to your feet. Continue to focus on the soles of your feet and when you arrive at your destination, take another deep breath, and continue with your day.

It’s just one of those days.

Prior to attending the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Trinity Songha was a certified 200 hour yoga teacher from Seattle, WA.  When she moved to Arizona in August of 2011, she decided that she would further her training in yoga teaching by enrolling in the 800 hour yoga program at SWIHA and she is very grateful that she did.

Trinity went on to graduate from 2 major programs at SWIHA. She completed the Yoga 800 hour program in May of 2012, and several months after graduating, she re-enrolled in the 1000 hour master massage program and completed it in April of 2013.

During her time at SWIHA, Trinity felt that she had many favorite classes. Few of which were Myotherapy, Aromatherapy - 5 Element Acupressure for Emotional Healing and Transformational Life Coaching. She liked Myotherapy because it was one of her favorite modalities to give and receive, and she liked the other two because they were transformative – both personally and professionally. One of her most favorite teachers was Pam. She had her for Anatomy and she made the class both fun and educational. 

“An emotion does not cause pain. Resistance or suppression of emotion causes pain.”

- Frederick Dodson, Parallel Universe of Self

What would you do, become, or find answers to, if you knew you held a key that unlocks it all?

I am here today to give you a glimpse to the key that is unlocking the unstoppable power within humans. It is a key that has been around for thousands of years. More than ever before, it is entering the mainstream health care system and taking people by storm. The key is hypnotherapy. Now more than ever, doctors, scientists, and researchers are fascinated with the results from this psychotherapy, as it is a way to constructively communicate with your subconscious mind while having your conscious mind take a step back.

Anita Tanjutco was working for UPS’s pre-load shift, and she had 100%-free health benefits. One day she decided to take advantage of her benefits, so she found a chiropractor for routine maintenance. Her massage therapist was a graduate of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). They became friendly and would always chat during their treatments and one day the massage therapist said, “You would love SWIHA! I think you should check it out!” Anita was twenty-three at the time and not exactly sure which direction she was heading in her life and career. Actually, she had toured another Valley massage school a few years before, however it didn’t feel like the right place or the right time. She decided she was open to suggestions, especially since this topic was coming up again for her. A week after this SWIHA chat with her MT, she called the school and set up a time for her to tour of the campus. The moment she arrived on campus, she fell in love, and she knew she was exactly where she needed to be! This felt right: when the timing is right, you just know. So she enrolled in the next available Master Massage Practitioner program.

Each class and teacher had something so unique and special to offer. From start to finish within the massage program, Anita’s interests seemed to evolve. At first she loved Myotherapy, however towards the middle of her studies her passion was energy work, which is working with meridians (energy pathways across the body) and the metaphysical body rather than the physical tissue. Then she found Release Point Therapy and absolutely fell in love. In 2008, these classes were taught by Dr. Henele and deeply impacted Anita’s life and her future success. The series of classes really took students through a step-by-step journey of healing the body and layers, one by one. “In massage school, you give and receive each treatment during class: it’s how you learn the skill. Every single day, we watched our classmates have these breakthroughs, and each of us were witnessing how fascinating and powerful the human body really is. Everyone in the program experienced at least one, huge emotional breakthrough. To have the opportunity to assist my fellow classmates in achieving such magical releases, is why I’d say it was my favorite class. Now that I get to watch the same in my clients-- it is such a blessing.”

Let's start with the “SAD” facts of our Standard American Diet and lifestyle. The effects of the Standard American Diet affect us more as we age. Health studies show that obesity is becoming an epidemic in women over the age of 40. Thirty-five percent of women over 40 are obese (a body mass index of over 30) and 65% are overweight (BMI of 25-29.9). That is alarming! We live in a world of fast (fat food) and packaged (not live) food, and it is considered the norm. One minute we are inundated with commercials for unhealthy food and then the next, we’re being told about weight loss surgery being a lunch time procedure. The mixed messages are making us sick. Over the last five years, I have tried to find a solution for these mixed messages for myself and for other women over 40 who are sick of being sick. I have discovered that holistic nutrition is the solution.

In starting my own health journey, I was like many women and had no idea what my nutrition, or lack thereof, was doing to me. So I found out what is in our food and its effects on our body as we age. In our 20’s, we think we are invincible, and I was the same way. I knew I felt terrible, was sick, and overweight. However, I had no clue that I was poisoning myself with every bite. I know it sounds dramatic and even silly, however it couldn’t be more accurate. I believe strongly in holistic nutrition, shopping organic and local, and walking (moving) instead of a diet. After losing 85 pounds, being very sick, and coming out of it with my Holistic Wellness diploma, there were many things I learned and I'd like to share them with women who feel like they have no way out of their unhealthy lifestyles. I feel I have the “Beginner’s Holistic Guide”.

India Lee Benedetto, also known as India Bee, made her way to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) at the perfect time in her life. She officially began her studies at SWIHA in the Yoga Therapy program in 2011 after she had connected deeply to yoga eleven years prior, just as she was graduating from Arizona State University and was preparing to live abroad for the first time to work as a Peace Corps volunteer in the countryside of Bolivia. Shortly after her arrival, a fellow volunteer went missing and was never found. Less than nine later, 9/11 shook the world, and everything changed. “Through all of this transition and unrest in the world, yoga is where I found myself again and again.” 

India knew she wanted to do something in the field of yoga which allowed her to share her passion with others, yet she just didn’t know how to make that happen. So she began building a career in corporate America where she worked to diversify law school classes and law firms and empower women, globally. After traveling on business to Washington D.C. and then to Peru, she returned home after three weeks to an unsettling feeling. She decided the life she had created was not in alignment with her values, and it was not sustainable for her. Just one year later, she found the courage to make the decision to embrace and walk her destined path. 

The latest poll on angels reveals that eight out of ten people believe in angels. I am a firm believer in these spiritual beings since I have had numerous encounters with God’s divine messengers.

Nola shared her favorite story, involving her daughter, Nicole, who was two years old at the time of her first angel experience. Nicole was born with very fine hair which resulted in having a tangled mess on the back of her head every time she woke up in the morning. It was unbelievably challenging to a comb through that rat’s nest!

The two have them had a nightly ritual which was giving Nicole a bath, followed by the reading of bedtime stories while sitting in their favorite, cozy rocking chair. On this particular night, Nola was reading aloud about God, Jesus, and the angels. She was explaining to her little girl that Jesus loves children so very much that when a baby is born, God assigns a guardian angel to watch over them. God cares so much about each of us that He even knows how many strands of hairs we have on our head.

It suddenly occurred to me that this would be the perfect opportunity for Nicole to learn first-hand that God is real and so are His angels. So I stepped out in faith and I asked Nicole, “Would you like to wake up in the morning and not have a rat’s nest in your hair?” She nodded enthusiastically, yes. I said, “Okay, Nicole, let’s pray to Jesus then!” She gently closed her eyes and bent her head down as she placed her hands in prayer position.