SWIHA Blog

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.

As a recent graduate of SWIHA’s Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner (IHAP) program, I never expected Yoga Nidra to have such a profound impact on my life—yet it did from the very first week. Over the fifteen-week Yoga Nidra certification course, I witnessed incredible shifts in myself and in my volunteer clients as well. The experiences shared by my classmates were full of healing, insight, and transformation. What began as curiosity quickly became a deeply meaningful journey inward—one that brought me clarity, calm, and a new connection to my Higher Self. I’m excited to share a summary of what I’ve learned about Yoga Nidra and its powerful ability to reduce stress.

Before discovering Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Nika Shelton’s life was defined by uncertainty. A traumatic car accident left her in a wheelchair for months, forcing her to confront physical challenges and deep mental and emotional struggles. The journey to regain mobility was grueling, yet it revealed a resilience and inner strength that Nika had not fully recognized in herself. This experience, coupled with her lifelong desire to help others, ultimately led her to SWIHA and the Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner (IHAP) program—a path that would transform her life in ways she could have never imagined.

Before enrolling at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Tegan Catalano describes her life as being on “autopilot”—moving through each day with a deep longing for something more. Her body ached, her spirit felt disconnected, and she wondered if she would ever find a path that truly fulfilled her. What she didn’t realize then was that the answers she sought were already within her; she simply needed the right tools to access them.

Every healing journey has a beginning—and for Linda Abramov, that journey truly came into focus at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. As she completes the final class of the Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner (IHAP) program, Linda reflects on a path shaped by resilience, intuition, entrepreneurship, and a deep desire to help others heal from the inside out.

When life asks you to rebuild, it also gives you the chance to rediscover who you truly are. For Sarah Hanlon, a recent graduate of the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner (IHAP) program, her journey has been one of courage, renewal, and transformation.

Before enrolling at SWIHA, Sarah was a dedicated massage therapist and mother living in Massachusetts. She was also in the process of healing from a painful chapter in her life — a toxic relationship she had left behind. “I wanted to help others in ways that I wanted to be helped as I was getting out of a toxic relationship,” she shares. “I wanted to be that hand that helps guide people through the tunnel to the other side of the hurt that allows them to build their lives for themselves.”

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.

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.

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." — J. Krishnamurti

What does it mean to be the light? “You light up my life!” “Let your light shine!” “You are the light and the salt.” The light illuminates the way and divides the day from the night. It allows us to find our way out of darkness.

So how does one continue to push on and be the light when the world around you gets dark? How do you harness that light and keep showing up when it can be so turbulent to be seen?

I used to think spiritual awakening meant everything was perfectly aligned—like life suddenly made sense. You were happy. At peace. Trouble-free.

I imagined it as this peaceful, blissed-out lifestyle—quiet, centered, maybe even easy. It felt far away, like something meant for people who had it all figured out. The deeply devoted. The naturally calm. The ones who seemed to belong in sacred spaces.

I didn’t think that could be me, yet I craved it. I wanted that kind of peace. I just didn’t know how to get there—or if I even belonged on that path.