Gisele Marasca-Vargas: Starting From Scratch to Starting a Business
In 2010, Gisele Marasca-Vargas had to close her graphic design and publishing company and file for bankruptcy (mostly due to the 2008 economic crisis). She lost her home in the process and had to practically start from scratch. She got a temporary job at the U.S. Census Bureau and went through a phase when she was feeling lost and confused about her next steps. At a certain point, she realized that she needed to reinvent herself. During her years as a graphic designer and publisher, she had worked on the side as an “energy healer”. She felt that the challenges she had gone through were a sign from the Universe that it was time to change the course of her life — to find her true path. Gisele decided that her “on the side” work was going to become her main career and life path. “That’s when I started researching … Read More
Gratitude Challenge by Bill Gisclair-Sullivan, SWIHA Mind-Body Transformational Psychology Graduate
When we talk about gratitude, we are talking about the act of truly being thankful. Thankful for the blessings we have in life — the simple pleasures, the gifts of nature, health, happiness, family, friends, etc. Gratitude shifts our focus from what we want to what we have. It allows us to look at the ready abundance of all that is great in our lives. When we are truly grateful there is a profound change in our attitude towards life. Truly giving thanks makes us happier, healthier, and more resilient. It makes our relationships stronger and improves our overall health by reducing stress in our lives. We all sometimes take for granted, the little things in our lives. The things someone else would and have given their lives for: freedom, food, a place to live, an education, a bed to sleep in, clothes on our backs, etc. What about simple … Read More
Tom Kreienbrink ~ From the Air Force to SWIHA
After retiring from the Air Force and moving back to Arizona, Tom Kreienbrink found the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) through a Facebook friend. Throughout the duration of his Air Force career, Tom was in Graphic Arts and Multimedia, and for the last 10 years he was in leadership and management positions. “I worked in a design position for FEMA in Washington D.C. for a few years after retiring from the Air Force. Bottom line – I was ready to get out of the ‘rat race,’ and when I found SWIHA it was the second career I’d been waiting for.” Tom shared how he’s always had a passion for learning about natural healing methods, nutrition, energy, and spirituality. “When I started studying at SWIHA, I found it was a school that offered practical holistic modalities and techniques that I could take out into the world and help people in … Read More
Attitudes Are Contagious By Jasmine Kearns, SWIHA student of Mind-Body Transformational Psychology
We have all lived through the following scenario or something similar: You wake up in the morning and are well rested, refreshed, and ready to start your day. You happily get ready and you might even sing along to the songs playing on the radio while driving in your car. You are in a wonderful mood and feel as if you are on top of the world. You get to work and head to your desk. All of a sudden your supervisor comes over and hands you a mountain of work along with a deadline that seems impossible to reach. As you go through the mountain of work and complete the assignments, you feel as though maybe you will make the deadline after all. However, after lunch your supervisor comes to tell you that your work is mediocre and needs to be redone. But you know that you did your … Read More
Mark Flory ~ From mid-life crisis to finding a “full-filling” mission
Mark Flory thought he had it all — family, job, house, and lots of friends. Then at age 44, things started to change. “I guess you can say I had a mid-life crisis of identity. At the time of my decision to go to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), I had just sold a business that I thought was going to be my retirement plan.” Mark was feeling like a failure and that he let his family down. To top it off, Mark applied and interviewed with a company for a position that seemed like it was written specifically for him. After several interviews and feeling really good about getting the new job, he met with the owner and president. Remembering the shock and disbelief, Mark shared that he bombed the interview and didn’t get the job. Mark now realizes that he was having a spiritual awakening. “My intuitive … Read More
Flower Essences: How to Get Started – Guest Post by Alise Holland
As a recent Great Graduate from the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), I was a bit nervous about getting my first client for a flower essence session. It all started when a client learned about my services online and wanted a spiritual reading. As the reading began to unfold, Spirit shared some spiritual visions and insights that wowed the client. It was very clear that she was a ‘Lightworker’ who had gotten out of touch with her true spiritual self. I asked her if she had ever heard of flower essence and she said “no, however, I’m open and willing to try them.” It was the perfect opportunity to explain what flower essence was and how it worked. Therefore, I mailed her flower essence brochure to share with her all about flower essence, how it worked, and the type of flower essence services we offered at our healing center. … Read More
Hypnotherapy Causes True Self-Love ~ by Guest Blogger Tami Sharp
Do you think you are good enough? Do you think you are lovable? Do you feel you are good enough? Do you feel you are lovable? Four simple and easy to answer questions, right? That’s what I thought when I was first introduced to them during my Subconscious Intervention class at the Southwest institute of Healing Arts, taught by Master Hypnotherapist Linda Bennett. My instant ego thoughts were, “That’s it? That’s what we’re going to spend the whole morning working on?” and then my body was like “Hey cocky lady, watch this magic trick and learn something about yourself! And, while we’re at it, have a giant piece of humble pie and pay attention because it’s about to get real all up in your subconscious.” Before I get into all of that, let me tell you a little bit about myself first. Of course, like everyone, I have my imperfections … Read More
Nancy Santana ~ Living in a State of Gratitude
If you were to pinpoint Nancy Santana’s philosophy on life you could use her Pinterest description: “I am an empowerment lifestyle spirit junkie — loving anything mind-body wellness! I love holistic… intuitive…spiritual! I am the founder of the #chooseLOVE movement and The Lotus Wellness Center. Follow me!” Nancy Santana was going through some major transitions and shifts in her life when a friend first told her about SWIHA. “I had transformed my body . . . yet something was missing and that was the mind-body-spirit connection,” shared Nancy, who recently completed the Mind-Body Transformational Psychology program at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. Her passion for this program developed from deep within her soul. She recalled how she lit up when first saw the list of Spiritual Studies courses that were part of her program: “I believe that my Spirit fired up my passion. In everything that I do, I am … Read More
Sarah Peters: Finding Zen
Before she found SWIHA, Sarah Peters a young woman, working a stressful job in a medical office – She was sick, overweight, and lost. “I was just starting to expand my health knowledge and learning how to self-heal. As I was searching for photography schools online, I ‘accidentally’ stumbled upon SWIHA,” shared Sarah. After ‘stumbling’ onto SWIHA’s website, Sarah enrolled into the Mind/Body Transformational Psychology program, specializing in hypnotherapy, Reiki, Life Coaching and yoga. Sarah became fascinated with almost every subject in her program: “I love the psychology of the mind; I love having deep conversations with people and I have always been sensitive to energies – other people’s energy as well as mine! It was so amazing to find a program that connected everything together for me – mind, body, energy and coaching!” Sarah is currently transitioning into a Sound/Energy Healer and Yoga Teacher position at Knead Me Wellness … Read More
Alise Holland: Merchant of Hope
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