WHO I AM

Hello, and thanks for being here!

I’m Shalene Hill. I’m a swim instructor, singer, and healing arts practitioner from Asheville, North Carolina. For over 13 years, I've been helping fearful swimmers, children with special abilities, anxious adults, and fellow swim instructors discover that water safety doesn't have to come through force or fear.

My Story-Song-Swim method focuses on nervous system regulation first - using music, storytelling, and play to help people feel safe before asking them to be brave.

It took me 10 years to write my first book. Not because I didn't know what to say - I'd been telling the same story and singing the same song in every swim lesson for over a decade. The hardest part was simply starting.

That's the caterpillar's journey, isn't it? We're afraid to take our feet off the ground until one day we realize we have to reach for those higher leaves. Every fearful swimmer I work with faces this same moment of courage.

My approach combines:

  • Bachelor's degree in Voice Performance from Appalachian State University

  • Music Therapy coursework

  • Western North Carolina's first certified survival swim instructor

  • Adaptive aquatics training with Swim Angelfish

  • Waldorf Education background

  • Swim Whisperer's™ Program certification (Level 1)

  • Former preschool gymnastics coach"


Recent Work:

In 2025, I published two books: 'The Caterpillar's Song of Courage' (a children's story about transformation) and 'Swim Skills for Children Using Story and Song' (a guide for families and instructors). Teachers are now using these books in classrooms from Florida to North Carolina to help children navigate fears and changes.

I present my method at swim instructor conferences nationwide, including the Superhero Swim Academy retreat in Napa Valley. I also conduct school presentations and author visits, bringing story and song to children who need encouragement to be brave.

Beyond the pool, I'm cultivating my Singing for Healing practice and leading a Quirky Choir in Asheville - creating spaces where people can explore their voices without judgment or performance pressure.

As a mother of two adult daughters who've been the driving force behind my courage to share this work, I understand what it means to watch someone you love face their fears. That's why I approach every student - child or adult - with patience, playfulness, and deep respect for their emotional journey.