SWIHA Blog

Before Stephanie Allen found Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), her life had taken a painful and unexpected turn. Having recently left a career in law enforcement after surviving an assault, Stephanie was left navigating the emotional aftermath—confused, alone, and unsure of how to move forward. While she had a desire to help others, particularly survivors of sexual assault, she quickly realized that true healing begins from within.

At the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), we often witness students walk through our doors carrying dreams that seem distant, even impossible. Gabriela Milan was once one of those dreamers. Today, she’s a vibrant example of what happens when you follow your heart, trust your calling, and allow healing to begin from within.

Before she became a beacon of healing and transformation, Gabriela was clocking 50-hour workweeks as a server at Olive Garden. Deep down, though, she carried a powerful desire: to become a mental health therapist. Yet something about the traditional route didn’t sit right with her. She craved something more soul-connected—something heart-led.

When you hear the word hypnotherapy, what comes to mind? A swinging pocket watch? Stage performers making people cluck like chickens? It’s time to clear the smoke and mirrors—because real hypnotherapy is a powerful, evidence-based tool for healing, transformation, and empowerment.

In a world where stress, anxiety, and burnout are at an all-time high, hypnotherapy is quickly gaining recognition for its ability to create lasting change from the inside out. And it’s not magic—it’s neuroscience.

Imagine a career where you can guide others to break free from limiting beliefs, overcome fears, and embrace a life of clarity and self-empowerment. Hypnotherapy offers exactly that – a powerful, transformative path that taps into the subconscious mind to create lasting change.

Before embarking on her transformative journey at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Chelle Washington was balancing two passions—developing a tarot business and pursuing a career in entertainment. She sought a way to integrate her love for healing and creativity into a sustainable foundation that would support and uplift creative individuals. Through SWIHA’s Integrative Healing Arts Diploma Program, Chelle discovered the power of blending her unique modalities and coaching style, equipping her with the knowledge and experience to make a profound impact on the creative community.

Before attending the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Natalie Bowker felt called to help others yet wasn’t sure how. The Hypnotherapy program gave her the skills to guide clients which also led her on her own healing journey. Seeing profound transformations within her clients confirmed she was on the right path. Now, as the founder of Space Between Wellness LLC, she empowers others through hypnotherapy and coaching, integrating the lessons learned at SWIHA into her practice and personal life.

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?

In 2022, I faced a pivotal moment: I was denied a promotion. A day before the interview, I was told to withdraw my application because, in their words, “You don’t have the skills I’m looking for.” This rejection shook me to my core. I spiraled into depression, sought counseling, and felt utterly alone, disconnected from the life I thought I had built. The old beliefs I had buried came rushing to the surface, leaving me speaking in a self-defeating and critical manner that pulled me even further down.

In the depths of our minds, there are beliefs that shape the way we see ourselves and the world around us. These limiting beliefs can hold us back from reaching the life of our dreams because we can’t seem to let go and break free. Hypnotherapy is a way to unlock these chains, allowing us to rewrite our stories in a way that provides empowerment and positive transformation. Through this amazing healing modality, I was able to discover the strength inside of me and could finally move forward.

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?

In 2021, I reached my eleven year anniversary at an insurance company I had been working at since I was 20 years old. I grew up with a passion for art, always painting and drawing, however, like most young adults, I was encouraged to take a job that paid well and had “great benefits”. I always knew that I loved to help others, and I tried to incorporate that in the corporate world by training and assisting coworkers who needed additional help. Yet eventually I began to burn out, and my soul just knew this wasn’t what I was meant to be doing.

What was your life like before SWIHA? What led you to SWIHA and to your particular program of study?

I was working a high-level corporate job as a global leader. As my daughter was approaching completing her Bachelor's Degree, I was planning on life after corporate. I have a BS in Psychology and Kinesiology, obtained my yoga teacher certification, and trained in Qigong, I loved helping people, so I decided a hypnotherapy certification would allow me to start a business as an Alternative Therapy Practitioner (as I later also became certified in EFT). I feel the state of society today is in crisis, however, the power of nature and their mind can heal them, and all they need is guidance. I have always been passionate about empowering others, even in my corporate role.