SWIHA Blog

“Before SWIHA, I knew that I wanted to change careers and use my gifts to help others--however, I wanted some formal education to help with my transition. I found my course of study while completing a research assignment given to me by my vocational rehabilitation counselor. I am passionate about health and wellness coaching because I see a need in my community, as a black woman, for an encouraging, educated intermediary between medical professionals and clients.”

There is a famous proverb that goes like this, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” What does that mean? How do we help others to help themselves? Do we tell people how to do that? Do we teach them or show them? Maybe we just do it for them and save everyone the hassle of learning or can we just give them a Field & Stream subscription?

“My life before SWIHA was a bit all over the place and I was close to finding my passion and felt I was coming up slightly short. One night, SWIHA came across my Facebook thread and I was very guided to it. After a few weeks of researching and meditating, I signed up. It fit perfectly with the direction I was currently going as well as what I naturally do as a person. I am so passionate about helping people to live fully and love their life. To step out of their comfort zone and chase their dreams. I love being a cheerleader for others.”

“My life was lacking drive, passion, and purpose before SWIHA. I was ready for a change and to do something that filled my life. My aunt had taken classes at SWIHA years earlier so I looked into it and fell in love! I am passionate about this modality because I believe that there are better ways to heal our mind, body, and soul than only what traditional medicine provides.”

What is meditation exactly? Simply put, it is a technique that uses breathing exercises, mindfulness, and focusing on the mental status. Meditation can help to calm the mind and body, center us to better handle tasks at hand, and can help alleviate anxiety, depression, and possibly even pain. The common misconception is how difficult meditation is. Anyone can reap the benefits of meditation with a little consistency.

“I was inspired to become a Holistic Health and Wellness coach because I’m passionate about helping people gain the knowledge, skills, tools, and confidence to become active participants in their health care so that they can live their most fulfilling life with a chronic illness.”

SWIHA (soon to be) Great Graduate, Katina Kondos, spent the last twenty years of her life in the health and wellness industry, operating several Massage Envy franchises in Illinois, until she sold them in 2018 and moved to Arizona for a fresh start. Katina shares, “Much of my career has been dedicated to helping people navigate through pain management and improving their quality of life.” With a new journey beginning in Arizona for Katina, it just made sense that she found herself attracted to SWIHA. Katina enrolled in the Holistic Health and Wellness Coaching program to further her education in this field she is so passionate about, meanwhile, expanding her tool belt of offerings to help serve others live their best, and healthiest life. 

At the age of 40, is when I noticed I was feeling tired, not just lack of sleep tired, it felt like fatigue, just plain exhaustion. As the year went on, I noticed I was missing sleep during the night, waking up between 2-3 am constantly, and this led to just not feeling me. I was moody. My stomach hurt with everything I ate and was nauseous when I woke up. My body ached, my skin was red and I was getting adult acne. My body was calling for my attention. I felt like each month - year added a new symptom. It was robbing me of life. My mind keep spinning why was this happening to me, and can I feel better again?

Adrienne Rue-Brock was living a life full of stress, unhealthy habits, and anxiety which resulted in her being diagnosed with several illnesses. Her body was crying for help, and she knew she needed change. Adrienne desired to seek a holistic way of healing herself and became inspired to want to help others do the same. Adrienne knew that by enrolling in the Holistic Health and Wellness Coach Diploma program with a concentration in Holistic Nutrition, that she would be able to achieve these goals. Adrienne shares, “I became physically ill and was diagnosed with anxiety, high blood pressure, and was pre-diabetic. The physical illness my doctor stated was due to my being under a lot of stress, which brought about all the other conditions. I am a believer in natural cures and started to seek out alternative medicines and therapy and that's when I found SWIHA.”

What was your life like before SWIHA? What led you to SWIHA and to your particular program of study? Why are you passionate about this modality?

Before SWIHA I knew I wanted to share my wellness journey and help others on theirs. I was not sure how I would do it or what it looked like. Once I decided wellness was my purpose the doors just started opening for me. I am so passionate about health and wellness because I have been surrounded by sickness for so long. Not only do I want the benefits of living a healthy life, I want holistic wellness to be more accessible to my community.

“For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to help others! It has held a deep space in my life and I have taken many different life paths to find just the right one! My intention as a child was to go to school to be a Psychiatrist, yet as life would have it I became a young mom and that desire was put on the back burner. I instead became a hairstylist; this is a career that I absolutely love and continue to hold space for. Fast forward 25 years and I became pregnant with my second child and that is when my calling changed! I became sober at 40, not drinking alcohol created a new awareness and a totally new space in my life, and realized I wanted to travel a different life path and move down the path to help others in similar situations! I started attending Southwest Institute of Healing Arts’ Holistic Health and Wellness Coaching program with a focus on Culinary Arts, and graduated with an "A" average in February of 2023! I feel as tho I have circled back to my initial desire as a child and I am now able to help anyone that is desiring change and want that path partner!”