Like many SWIHA students, Kristin Apodaca’s path to SWIHA was full of trials and tribulations. Nearly seven years ago, Kristin and her family moved to Arizona for her husband’s new job, leaving her family and old life behind in Boca Raton, Florida. On the outside, she had it all: a loving husband, four beautiful and healthy children, a large home and many friend — and yet, as Kristin revealed, she felt like she had no idea who she was as a person. Seven years of being a stay-at-home-mom took their toll on her.She spent that time feeling very resentful towards her husband for having to work such long hours, taking him away from their family and herself. All of these factors led her to a breaking point. “I had lost my identity,” confessed Kristin. After briefly using anti-depressants to help cope with her anxiety and depression, she knew there had … Read More
Ravynn Rohner is a graduate who has literally transformed her life and humbly taken space in the seat of the teacher. In 2011, Ravynn started doing yoga regularly in her hometown of Casa Grande, Arizona and her teacher was a Spirit of Yoga graduate. Having taken Cranial Unwinding at SWIHA in 2007, she was familiar with the school, and began thinking about taking the 800-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program. “At the time, I was in my fourth debilitating year of Fibromyalgia (full body pain and fatigue), only taking care of my responsibilities for my son and doing yoga; the rest of the time I was in bed, with my Nana being a huge support system at the time. After meeting with Admissions, I was led to enroll in the Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner Program with concentrations in Life Coaching, Polarity, and Yoga. In the back of my mind, I wondered if … Read More
SWIHA is a Registered Yoga School (RYS) with Yoga Alliance, an internationally recognized organization. Graduates of our Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) program are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance and earn the designation of Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT). Our Unity Yoga Teacher Training program blends academic structure with educational freedom, embracing a living yoga approach. You can complete your 200-hour teacher training independently or as part of one of our diploma programs, integrating yoga with Massage Therapy, Holistic Nutrition, Health and Wellness Coaching, or Aromatherapy. Additionally, we incorporate teachings from the Amrit Yoga Institute, including Yoga Nidra and Yoga Body Psychology—both Certificates of Excellence available within our yoga programs. These avocational programs are designed for personal and professional development, offering valuable tools for deepening your practice and expanding your skill set. We offer three levels of Yoga Teacher Training: Certificate of Excellence – On-campus Yoga Teacher Training – 200 Hours … Read More
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts built its foundation as a training center for massage therapists nearly three decades ago. Today, we offer a wide variety of courses and degrees in the healing arts, and we continue to provide high quality, affordable massage therapy training for students entering the field as well as for professionals continuing their education. If hands-on healing is your call, we encourage you to take a look at our wonderfully diverse and immersive massage training programs. Whether you feel called to study massage on a full-time or a part-time basis, you’ll find a program at SWIHA that fits your needs and schedule. Therapeutic Bodywork Track Professional Massage Practitioner – Therapeutic Practitioner Diploma – 750 hours – 11 months full-time Program Courses – What’s this? As a graduate of this massage training program, you will be prepared for a position as a professional massage therapist and will also … Read More
Alise Holland, like many of SWIHA’s students, was brought to the school by Spirit. On Labor Day, 2014, she saw a vision of a school for healing and the name, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, came through in her vision. At the time, she had been teaching in a public classroom for eight years, and took a leap of faith and left the classroom in 2011. Alise shared how, even though she had her Doctorate in Education and had a flexible job, she knew that there was something missing and needed to find out what SWIHA had to offer. “It wasn’t until I attended SWIHA to better understand myself and how I show up in the world… That’s when it became simple; my life purpose is to serve others and be a Merchant of Hope.” Although she grew up in poverty, Alise has realized that nothing is truly wasted, and … Read More
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts built its foundation as an Arizona Massage School over three decades ago. Today, we offer a wide variety of courses and degrees in the healing arts, and we continue to provide high quality, affordable massage therapy training for students entering the field as well as for professionals continuing their education. Our mission remains the same: To provide innovative, contemporary real world experience and the highest standards in a healing arts education. We are committed to supporting the discovery of your essential gifts and supporting you as you carry them out into the world in a loving and profitable way. Start Dates AM September 15, 2025 PM August 4, 2025 Change Lives with the Power of Healing Touch While SWIHA teaches all of the core competencies required of classically educated massage therapists, we also offer you the flexibility to choose what works best for you. Options … Read More
Prior to registering at SWIHA, Jessica Ireland was, in her own words, “barely existing.” “I lacked a post-secondary education, and the 15 years I worked in the finance industry meant nothing while I was applying for employment during the recession. I was struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over my head, while spiraling further and further into a state of depression.” After receiving a steady stream of rejection letters from potential minimum wage employers, Jessica realized that unless she obtained some form of post-secondary education in an area that was growing throughout North America, she would eventually end up homeless and hungry. Enter SWIHA. “As soon as I discovered SWIHA, I knew that my search for the school and the education I desired was over. I relocated my 3 dogs and myself from Calgary, Alberta Canada to Phoenix, Arizona and haven’t looked back since.” Jessica … Read More
Maria Kalamas opens up to how purposeful her path has been and how her attendance at SWIHA was intended all along. “January of 2010, I was working in a doctor’s office employed as an office manager. The doctor was an MD, yet practicing alternative medicine, specializing in bio-identical hormones. He was helping people heal through proper supplementation, healthy nutrition, bio-identical hormone replacement, Chelation – which is a very effective way to treat heavy-metal poisoning – coaching and outsourcing them to various healing arts therapies, from massage to spiritual coaching and other various holistic practices that he had tried and believed were effective. I soaked in all the information he was giving me because I wanted to help heal people physically, mentally and emotionally,” shared Maria. Maria was extremely grateful for the training that was so well aligned with her passion; yet she had a deep desire for more tools. This … Read More
Kathy Koziol had just received her license as a Real Estate agent prior to enrolling at SWIHA. She did the job for just a single day, and immediately knew that she wanted her life to head in another direction. She was ready to fulfill her Dharma, her life’s purpose that she was Divinely designed for. Kathy had held many careers throughout her life: Elementary School Teacher, Army Officer, Hearing Instrument Specialist, Luxury Automobile Sales Consultant, Master Gardener and Stay at Home Mom (which she referred to as “Domestic Goddess). “I was very satisfied with my life and always have been. I cherish every moment of the life given to me,” shared Kathy. “Every experience I had, positive or negative, helped me to lay the foundation of where I am today.” However, she wasn’t satisfied with the path she was heading down from a career perspective. Enter SWIHA. Kathy came to … Read More
Like many SWIHA students’ stories before, the school just happened to find Tami Sharp. She had just moved to Arizona from Maui, Hawaii with her baby girl, so that she could be closer to her mom. Tami recalled the synchronicities that led her to joining SWIHA. “I had no intention on starting school but after a series of universal events, I tripped across SWIHA and within one week’s time found myself enrolled full time going for a degree in Mind-Body Transformational Psychology with Certifications in Life Coaching, Clinical Hypnotherapy and Reiki.” Before moving to AZ, Tami had spent 10 years on Maui doing a wide range of jobs and businesses. As a professionally trained model and actress, she also had the honor of teaching modeling and acting to teenagers and young adults. It was through these teachings that she really found passion in helping others see their inner beauty, to … Read More