SWIHA Blog

For Ava Emanuelson, a passion for holistic health began long before she enrolled at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). After navigating her own health challenges and discovering the profound impact that holistic approaches could have on her life, Ava knew she wanted to learn more — and eventually help others discover their own paths toward wellness.

A recent graduate of SWIHA’s Holistic Health and Wellness Coach program, Ava is now continuing to grow personally and professionally while exploring how she can use what she has learned to support others.

Sometimes, finding your purpose isn’t about discovering something entirely new—it’s about recognizing how all the experiences you’ve already had can come together to create something meaningful.

For Melissa Cantara, her path to holistic health and wellness has been shaped by an eclectic collection of experiences: military service, art and education, massage therapy, bodywork, personal challenges, and a deep curiosity about how people heal.

As a Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) student studying Holistic Health and Wellness Coaching, Melissa found an opportunity to build upon the work she was already doing and expand her approach to whole-person wellness. Today, she owns KNEADS WELLNESS in southern Maine, where she brings together Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, and Holistic Health & Wellness Coaching.

Three years ago, Hannah Deane found herself on the road for work, carrying a feeling many people know all too well: There has to be more.

“I have got to make a change; I can’t live like this forever. I know I am supposed to do more with my life,” she remembers telling herself.

What Hannah didn’t know at the time was just how dramatically her life was about to change—and how that change would ultimately guide her toward a deeper understanding of holistic health, nutrition, wellness, and her own purpose.

Holistic Health & Wellness Coaching is one of the fastest-growing fields within the wellness industry, yet many people still wonder how it differs from Life Coaching. While both professions empower clients to create positive change, they serve different purposes and use different approaches.

If you've ever felt called to help others build healthier, more balanced lives, understanding the distinction can help you choose the educational path that best aligns with your passion.

At Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), many students arrive with a calling—and sometimes, that calling begins in unexpected places. For Health and Wellness Coaching graduate Kodee Jankowski, the journey into holistic health didn’t start as a career plan. It started as a mother’s search for answers.

Today, that search has grown into something much bigger: a mission to support the health, resilience, and well-being of first responders.

Amanda Herring always knew she was meant to help people — it wasn’t until she blended her medical expertise with holistic healing that she truly discovered her purpose. As an ER nurse, she spent over a decade on the front lines of emergency medicine, tending to crises and comforting those in their most vulnerable moments. Yet amidst the chaos and heartbreak of the ER, Amanda began to notice a recurring pattern — many of the emergencies she treated could have been prevented with better self-care, healthier habits, and more education on wellness.

That realization sparked a fire in her: there had to be a better way.

St. Patrick’s Day reminds us that spring is just around the corner, inviting us to tap into the energy of renewal and transformation. This season of rebirth encourages us to shed what no longer serves us, just as nature awakens from its winter slumber. It's a time for both the earth and our bodies to rejuvenate, align with new intentions, and embrace growth. Spring offers a fresh start, an opportunity to focus on vitality, and to nourish ourselves with vibrant, nutrient-dense foods that fuel both body and mind.

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romantic love—it’s the perfect time to embrace self-love and nourish your body, mind, and soul. At SWIHA, our Nutrition Program inspires a holistic approach to health, teaching students how food can nurture both physical well-being and emotional balance. So today, we’re sharing a recipe to help you celebrate love in all its forms: Strawberry Rose Bliss Bites!

What is Holistic Health & Wellness? As a new Wellness Coach, I feel that it is important to have educational reading for those who enjoy going a little deeper. Let’s explore the fundamental principles and give some insight into how individuals should be treated as a whole and not just their symptoms. And also the importance of holistic preventative care. I am proud to be a part of an approach to health that distinguishes itself from traditional healthcare.

We all feel the same way when we are told to eat better by our physicians. “It's too expensive” and “I don’t have time for that” are two of the most common responses when I have asked people about their barriers to eating better. These two answers are some of the most discouraging to our journey and our self-esteem because when we fail we tend to take it out on ourselves, the cost at the store, or even the people who are succeeding at what we are trying to do. So here I am as a mom of two, a wife, a caregiver who works out of the house, and family members in my home with specific dietary restrictions to tell you, it's OK. You can do it.  In the last 10 years of trying to meal prep (sometimes unsuccessfully) and in the 5 years of consistent meal prepping (minus a day or week where I’m just not feeling into it) I’ve learned these 6 tips.