When Niyia Whitsett was 12 years old, she had a thing for herbs and oils but didn’t talk about it much after being told “witches do that type of stuff.” After realizing there was some ignorance in this statement, it freed her mind to dive in. She learned to heal herself and help others as an entrepreneur while also becoming a published author. On July 22, she opened the Self Approved Herbal Spa at 3965 Lee Road in Cleveland.
“The path of aromatherapy, reflexology, herbal holistic healing chose me,” says Whitsett. “I had to go to schools that taught acupuncture and aromatherapy to build my resume so I could say ‘I’m a holistic practitioner.’ I got a certification in reiki and all of the holistic modalities to learn how to blend on my own and how to assess.”
While majoring in forensic psychology at Clark Atlanta University, Whitsett realized that the Healing Center was a better fit.
“We all experience trauma at different phases of life, and afterward you need to feel safe again,” Whitsett says.
Self Approved Herbal Spa specializes in how to use herbs and is designed for integrated wellness. It has detox programs and offers holistic services using mostly chemical-free products. Its mission is to enhance and promote emotional wellness and address trauma informed care.
“I am not telling people not to take medicine, because I’m not a medical doctor, but we can enhance a better quality of life,” Whitsett says. “I have always been told that it’s emotional or spiritual if the doctors can’t find it because energy does not leave — it transfers through our nervous system that we all get from our mother.”
Twenty years ago, Nicole Vanyo began using Whitsett’s holistic products and services for her chronic cystitis condition. Then she earned her certification as an aromatherapist from the Healing Center. Vanyo also created a blend of ginger shots, after being introduced to them by Whitsett, that are sold at Self Approved Herbal Spa.
“As I educated myself, I learned how to live a more organic life with a holistic approach to things,” Vanyo explains. “I became more mindful of what I ate and put in my body. Over time, I found myself not being in pain as meditation, prayer and exercise became a priority.”
Kodi Pride has been a customer of Whitsett’s since before Self Approved Herbal Spa opened.
“Niyia helped me learn how to manage sinus headaches, eczema and stress,” Pride says. “She recommended peppermint oil, which helps to relieve my headaches. She also enlightened me on the benefits of drinking tea and knowing the ‘why’ of the things that I put on and in my body.”
Whitsett’s personal grief journey in 2006 led to her becoming an entrepreneur.
“It started with me healing my nervous system and realizing the power in that,” she says. “I had four major surgeries, and my body began to reject pharmaceutical medicines. Research helped me get through some of the things my body and nervous system needed.”
After recovering, Whitsett was instrumental in starting the Divine Purpose Etiquette School and HISStyle for young girls ages 3-18. She wrote her first novel, Scarred (2018) in which she talks about the emotional and physical pain she endured as a child and how she used hope and faith her grandmother taught her to get through it.
In 2020, Whitsett moved back to Cleveland after her father encountered health issues. She began doing holistic wellness consultations out of her home, and people wanted to know what teas and herbs they could take to stay alive. As demand for her services grew (and after a pipe in the home burst), she found the new home for Self Approved Herbal Spa.