This is a paid piece from Selah Space.
Simplified: A local college student and Selah Space intern is forging her own path both at school and in the holistic wellness industry. Meet Beata Benson.
Why it matters
- Benson – originally from South St. Paul, Minnesota – first came to Sioux Falls to get a teaching degree from Augustana University, but when she encountered health problems of her own, she started to think about a different vocation.
- Now, Benson's internship at Selah Space is preparing her for a future career as a holistic health life coach.
- She's seen first-hand the impacts that holistic healing can have on a person, and she's also observed since the pandemic more people are realizing issues with their physical or mental health. And, like Benson, they might not be finding the answers they want in the traditional health system.
"I want to be that person that can tell them there are so many other options," Benson said. "Let's start working and talking. Let's get to the root cause of the issue, where you're not just slapping a Band-Aid on it."
How she created her own major
Benson's own health journey led her to consider wellness as a career, she said, and when she didn't see a college major that fit her needs, she found a way to create her own.
- Her major is an interdisciplinary major combining exercise science, psychology and business.
- She's also one of the first students to minor in Augustana's Medical Humanities program.
What she's learned from Selah Space
Benson was first introduced to Selah Space Owner Jada Dobesh through one of her college classes. Their connection was instant.
"The minute I walked into Selah Space and started talking to Jada, I knew this was what I wanted," Benson said.
During her internship, she's had experiences with:
- Mental health talk therapy, courtesy of Selah Space tenant Katrina Yde, a licensed therapist with Forward Counseling,
- Reiki and spiritual direction,
- Working with clients,
- The business side of running a holistic wellness space,
- And getting to work on the research, planning and launch of the Selah Cycle Bundle.
What happens next?
Benson will graduate in December with plans to go on to graduate school to pursue a degree in mental health counseling.
The hope is to eventually own her own holistic wellness businesses and specialize in sex therapy. And her dream is to create a space as peaceful and healing as Selah Space.
"The space that she has and that she created is so peaceful," Benson said. "It is completely a healing space, and I can see that everyone that walks in, they're very open to healing."
