About Me
My Awakening Story
My name is Anneli Virkhaus and my stage name is ISSA, which stands for Indigo Star Seed Angel. I've been on a spiritual path most of my life. I've always been interested in mystical things such as rituals, crystals, magic, and altered states of consciousness. When I was a kid I spent most of my time outside in nature, connecting to the plants and trees, and created whole worlds within me.
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I've also always been an empath. Of course, I didn't know that until I was an adult. An empath is someone who can feel the emotions and energy of people and their environment. When I was a kid I suffered immensely due to feeling the emotions of my family, friends, and everyone and everything around me. It was so overwhelming and I thought there was something wrong with me. So I learned how to numb out and disconnect.​​
​​When I was in high school I discovered the world of drugs and alcohol and the feeling of numbness and altered states was highly attractive to me and I quickly became addicted. I also had very unhealthy patterns with food and part of my way to control my environment as a child was by withholding food. All of these patterns turned into serious drug problems and anorexia, that I would eventually have to face. And the underlying cause was that I didn't know how to manage my emotions and energy, so instead I shut down, self-destructed, and numbed out. I didn't know any better and I believed I was worthless.​ I felt lost and like I didn't know who I really was.
It was spirituality that saved me in 2010, when I hit rock bottom and got sober. The day I chose sobriety was the day I decided to start caring for myself. Until this I had been self-destructing and it had led to pain and suffering. I started soaking up spiritual principles, chanting affirmations, doing yoga, and anything that helped me get aligned with my real purpose: to help people learn to love and care for themselves and awaken to their deeper selves. I had to go on my own healing journey to remember and discover the importance of loving and caring for ourselves. Of learning how to manage my emotions and energy, set boundaries, and to allow my natural gifts to work for me, not against me. I had to remember that I was a good person, that I was worthy of being alive and of enjoying the pleasures of my body.
My mission is to help you develop a self-care and spiritual practice so that you can feel confident, happy, safe, and in alignment with your purpose. There are many ways that I can help you. It all starts with willingness. You must be willing to put in the effort to make changes and feel the emotions that come up. I know better than anyone that if you aren't willing to change, you won't. If are willing to change and see things differently, then I can help you. I use my training as a board certified music therapist, sound and energy healer, and my own spiritual studies and practices to facilitate you making positive changes within yourself and your life. I am a firm believer that you can heal from anything and become anything you desire, and know that you are worthy of doing so.
In my free time you’ll often find me exploring the hidden depths of the Earth, following my interest in caving, where I continue to seek the mysteries both below and within. I am a also a cave tour guide at The Caverns and get paid to lead people into caves! I also love Ecstatic Dance and Contact Dance Improvisation and dance has changed my life. It has been one of the biggest tools to help me awaken more deeply and release long stored trauma and patterns. I love spreading awareness about dance and encourage all people to move their bodies in some way that brings them joy. I am a nature lover and enjoy deep conversations about the mysterious ways of the Universe.
Education
Bachelor's In Music, Hendrix College, 2007
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Bachelor's in Music Therapy, Appalachian State University, 2014
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Sound Healing Practitioner, Globe Sound Institute, 2015
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Level I & II Reiki, SF Hypnosis Center, 2015
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Yoga Teacher Training, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, 2020
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Quantum Healing Hypnosis Intern, Dolores Cannon, 2023​​