Ginny Oehler
Ginny Oehler, M.S.Ed.
Ginny Oehler is a certified meditation coach, a mentor to emerging and established leaders, and a former executive director of several high impact nonprofit organizations in Western New York.
In addition to Ginny’s degrees in academia, she is graduated from both the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program and Sura Flow’s Liberate Meditation Coach Certification program.
Ginny is the founding principal of A MINDFUL EDGE, a vibrant national consultancy specializing in meditation coaching.
This has been a personal and professional evolution. Here is her story:
Upon graduating from high school in 1960, I was drawn to the work of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, of the Refuge, whose focus was the teaching and counseling of girls who experienced trauma of some nature. I was privileged to serve as a nun and, for eight years, worked with these young women. It is in the context of this experience that I learned the challenges, discipline and rewards of a meditative life.
After a time, I left the monastery to pursue an advanced degree, marriage, motherhood, and creative expression through art and writing. I worked as a social worker and served in leadership roles in Western New York.
Throughout personal and professional experiences, the challenges, joys and benefits of a reflective practice were constant. I attribute this practice to my success as a community leader, mentor, entrepreneur and meditation coach.
After 16 years as a nonprofit executive, with Our Lady of Victory Infant Home and the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Western New York, I was chosen to be the first executive director of the Care Management Coalition of Western New York.
It was in this role that I became acutely aware of the internal and external obstacles leaders confront when attempting to lead collaboratively. It became evident that self-awareness, empathy and emotional intelligence were key personal qualities and competencies that contributed to successful collaborative leadership.
In 2003 I launched my consulting practice, with a focus on developing, advising and evaluating nonprofit collaborations. This work led to the designing of collaborative leadership programs, such as the Health Leadership Fellows program of the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York, later replicated for the Missouri Foundation for Health. My consulting practice continues to serve nonprofit organizations, the people who lead them and the philanthropic community that funds them.
Painting and creative writing have been present and practiced throughout my life. Encouraged by my mentor of many years, Jimmie Margaret Gilliam, I founded the group: “Gods and Goddesses: Pathways to Creativity” over 20 years ago and continues today. This is where mindfulness meditation and the art of writing merge in a unique way.
The creation of A MINDFUL EDGE is the result of a natural progression that began in my heart many years ago and now extends outward to include those who want to discover power and grace within themselves.
I invite you to explore my website and to contact me for a free 30-minute consultation to learn how you might benefit from the practice of mindfulness and meditation coaching.
