SWIHA Blog

Before enrolling at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Felicia Williams Brown was already deeply committed to service. Her work within the autism community was meaningful and impactful, yet something within her continued to call for more.

She describes that time simply: she “enjoyed the work,” yet always felt “a calling to serve on a deeper level.” That inner pull eventually led her to SWIHA—an experience she now describes as nothing short of transformational. SWIHA, she shares, “has been my saving grace,” and through the Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner program, she finally feels that she is “walking in my purpose.”

Sometimes healing begins not with a plan, rather with survival. For Chasity Updike, her journey to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) arrived during one of the most painful seasons of her life—and became the turning point that helped her reclaim purpose, voice, and self-trust.

Before enrolling at SWIHA, Chasity was navigating overwhelming loss and responsibility. “There was a lot of heavy grief in my life from losing my soulmate shortly before,” she shares. At the same time, she was caring for her father full-time as his health declined. “I was also taking care of my dad 24/7 as he was slowly dying too from an evil heart.”

Living with multiple autoimmune diseases added another layer of exhaustion and despair. “I had given up and was barely making it through the days,” she says. What she needed most was not a career path—instead, a way to heal herself.

For some, the call to healing arrives suddenly. For others, it unfolds over a lifetime of listening, learning, and devotion. For recent SWIHA graduate Lisa Victorson, the path has been decades in the making—and continues to deepen with every step.

“I have been a student, teacher, and mentor to many on this path,” Lisa shares. “I have been immersed in ‘Woo Woo’ for over 38 years. I will never stop going to school to learn and working with others to heal.” That lifelong commitment to growth and service is what ultimately led her to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, where she completed the Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner program (IHAP) with a focus on End of Life Doula studies.

End-of-life work holds a sacred place in my heart. There has always been a deep knowing that no one should ever be—or feel—alone when nearing the end of life. The thought of someone taking their final breath without a hand to hold or a comforting presence beside them moves me on a soul level. That belief is what first drew me to become an end-of-life doula, a calling that feels less like a career choice and more like a purpose meant to be lived.

Before discovering Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Diana Arredondo’s life looked stable from the outside—yet internally, something was missing.

“Before coming to SWIHA, my life felt busy and unfulfilled,” Diana shares. Like many people on the brink of transformation, she was working in a corporate job that provided security yet left her feeling disconnected from her deeper purpose. Although she had long been drawn to holistic health and personal growth, she didn’t yet see a clear path forward.

Over time, the disconnect began to show up physically and emotionally. Stress and burnout took a toll, signaling that something needed to change. What began as a personal healing journey soon became a calling.

From the moment she first walked through the doors of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Candy Albalos carried with her a quiet hope—a hope that her life could become something more grounded, purposeful, and aligned with the inner calling she had felt for years. Before SWIHA, Candy described her life simply: “Without purpose.” Yet even during those uncertain years, something deep within was nudging her forward, whispering that she was meant to help others, meant to heal, meant to rise.

Today, as a proud graduate of the Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner program, Candy stands as a testament to what happens when someone chooses to acknowledge their own divine light—and then follows it courageously.

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.

Supporting someone through their final transition is one of the most sacred and meaningful callings a person can answer. End-of-Life Doulas—sometimes called Death Doulas or Transition Guides—hold space for individuals and families during one of life’s most profound passages. These compassionate caregivers provide emotional, spiritual, and practical support to those nearing the end of life, helping them find peace, dignity, and closure.

If you feel called to this work, it’s important to take time for deep reflection and preparation. Here are five important things to consider before becoming an End-of-Life Doula.