SWIHA Blog

Sabrina Willie describes her life before Southwest Institute of Healing Arts as a rollercoaster: “I was tired of the ups and downs,” she says, “I knew I had to do something.”

That gut instinct led her to leave her job of ten years and begin to define her own path. Two weeks after her new journey began, Sabrina found out she was expecting a child! It cemented her calling to create a life she loved: “I knew it wasn't coincidental. I decided this was a great chance to change and be a better role model,” she tells us.

There are many people who hear the words “alternative medicine” or “holistic wellness” and meet it with immediate skepticism. However, as recently as one hundred years ago, what we now classify at “alternative medicines” were the only medicines available.

The scientific advances during the European enlightenment brought us antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, serotonin inhibitors and other drugs, which caused decreased popularity in so-called “natural” treatments. While the advances in medicine are truly revolutionary and the solution to many previously hopeless health problems, it also brought about the belief that science would eventually cure all mental and physical disease. As a result, “natural” treatments were deemed ineffective and old fashioned in the minds of many people.

“Though I reside in Wisconsin and SWIHA is a distance from me, I know my people are out there,” Jamie Reklau says with a full heart.

From an early age, Jamie has loved to build others confidence, offer wisdom and lend an ear when needed. She tells us: “During my junior high school years, I passed around a notebook and started a ‘Dear Jamie’ column.  I had passion, even back then, to offer new ideas and do whatever I could to assist my classmates to have a better life.”

However, as she navigated adulthood, she realized that she had shut herself off from her authenticity: “I felt like I was not allowed to be my genuine self,” says Jamie, “I lived a highly traumatic life. I survived a Traumatic Brain Injury and lived most of my life feeling like I could never accomplish anything meaningful. My mindset was that it wasn't in the cards for me.”

“As cliche as it sounds, I truly cannot believe I get to do what I love each day,” Taressa Riazzi, Hypnotherapist and Life Coach, tell us.

It used to be a very different story for Taressa. Prior to her healing journey, she was struggling through a challenging time; doing her best to be a stay-at-home mom while battling significant depression and debilitating anxiety. After realizing that putting everyone’s needs ahead of her own was having a negative impact on her emotional landscape, she knew something had to change.

“I originally was drawn to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts for the nutrition program,” she tells us, “however, after I experienced hypnosis and saw the impact it had on me and those I worked with, I decided to primarily practice hypnosis and life coaching.

Christine Iring, SWIHA graduate and founder of The Wounded Healer, believes wholeheartedly that anything is possible with the right mindset, people and surroundings.

She tells us: “Five years ago, I believe I hit my rock bottom due to divorce, selling my home short sale, and relocating for a job…yeah, many major life changes. That in itself took major adjustment, reflection, and ‘doing the work’,” Christine continues, “SWIHA took a better version of me and provided the tools I needed to create a business with awesome modalities, but more importantly discovering even more of myself, my purpose and enjoying the journey along the way!”

SWIHA graduate Elizabeth Hartigan embodies the essence of her business, The Gratitude Girl! She specializes in helping women entrepreneurs grow their business and coaching them in order to get from where they are to where they want to be. She provides her clients inspiration, motivation, accountability, and ideas to move them forward.

“Life coaching is about helping someone reach their optimum potential,” she explains, “it’s about providing balance and support while they take inspired actions. It’s being their biggest cheerleader and believing in them, and reminding them of who they truly are.”

Nicholas Stanley believes he was guided to SWIHA by his “Angels, Ascended Masters, and loved ones”. In 2015, Nicholas was involved in a serious car accident in Long Island where he passed over into the light and came back into his body with a new awareness, mission and purpose.

“When I woke back up from not being responsive, I didn’t know who I was, where I was, or what I had been doing for the past few years. I felt a sudden switch in my mind, body and soul,” he explains.

Carol Becker has always loved holistic healing. In the sixties, her family worked as herbal foragers for rural doctors in Oklahoma. She carried this passion with her to Arizona where, in 1998, she attended a seminar on herbal remedies at SWIHA!

“I have acquired trainings and certifications in conflict resolution, hypnotherapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, as well as SWIHA’s Transformational Life Coaching program followed with a class centered around trauma therapy,” she tells us.

Rocio Castellanos spent twelve years working in the medical field, and loved that she was able to merge her passion for helping others in to her career. However, after a decade of that work, she began to feel as though there was something more she should be doing.

“I just didn’t know what it was,” Rocio explains, “I now realize this is when my spiritual awakening began taking place..., I followed my heart and intuition, and then came across an ad for SWIHA on one of my social media accounts. I looked into it, I ordered a class catalog and before I knew it I had an interview with one of the advisors!

In 2010, Jennifer Emperador quit her job of ten years after realizing it didn’t fulfill her, and it was that brave plunge into the unknown that became the catalyst for some major positive change!

“The idea of going back to the corporate world was unfathomable,” discloses Jennifer, “During my soul-searching journey, I was invited to SWIHA’s Gifts & Graces and as soon as I walked through the doors, I knew I was home.”

Jennifer is a self-proclaimed “SWIHA Lifer” and has taken many programs, including Life Coaching, Hypnotherapy and Yoga Teacher Training. She’s also a member of our Admissions team, lending her first-hand experience to future practitioners. The pursuit closest to her heart, however, is her coaching business Sol Discovery.