SWIHA Blog

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.”

"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.

Before finding her path at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Melinda York was living what many would consider a successful life—constantly giving, constantly showing up for others—yet something was missing. “Before SWIHA, my life felt like I was constantly pouring into others yet still feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from my deeper purpose,” she recalls.

Melinda’s journey to SWIHA began through her own process of healing and self-discovery. Searching for tools to better understand herself and the world around her, she was drawn to the Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner (IHAP) Diploma program, where she discovered the transformative power of holistic education and self-awareness.

At Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), we celebrate students and graduates who courageously follow their calling into holistic wellness. Recent graduate Tina Lorenzo embodies this journey. With over a decade of experience as a nurse, Tina felt drawn to explore deeper, integrative approaches to healing after navigating her own profound challenges and personal transformation. Her path led her to SWIHA’s Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner program with a concentration in Advanced Hypnotherapy, where she discovered new skills and a renewed sense of purpose. Today, Tina is dedicated to helping others nurture their mind, body, and spirit through holistic care, compassion, and empowerment.

Have you ever felt stuck in a situation with no clear way out? The manifestation wheels are turning, yet nothing is happening. Maybe you’ve spent countless hours creating vision boards, visualizing, repeating affirmations, and doing “all the things”—yet, no change. You start to wonder: Am I stuck in a rut? What if I’m the reason my manifestations aren’t unfolding?

The truth is, resistance is what’s blocking your change. When you want something new, you often resist where you are now. It’s easy to keep focusing on what you don’t want. Many people wait until things get so bad that their desire finally outweighs their patience. They become so caught up in wanting to be somewhere else that they create resistance to where they are.

I used to think that being spiritual meant stepping away from everyday life. In my mind, spirituality belonged to people who could spend hours meditating, practice yoga all day, or live somewhere quiet and remote. For a long time, I believed that because I have three kids, a husband, a full-time job, and even a part-time job on the side, I wasn’t doing it “right.”

Do you ever wonder who you really are and what purpose you serve here on earth? This question often troubles me as I seek to find my life’s calling. Clearly, I am female, a wife, a mother, a nana, a friend, a director, a coworker, a student, a business owner, and a healer. Yet truly—who am I?

For most of my life, I have been an empath, able to feel a deep and intuitive sense when something is wrong or out of balance—not only within myself—with others as well. This awareness is what led me to become an Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner.

Life doesn't always go as we hope, plan, or expect, yet how we respond to challenges can transform our entire journey. The world teaches us to resist pain. However, what if there is a powerful way to approach difficulties with compassion?

The first question is often, “Why me?” You question why hardship has chosen you. When challenges crash into your world, instead of playing victim, start being the author of your own resilience story. My journey has taught me that life isn't about erasing scars - it’s about understanding that they are intertwined with our most authentic selves.