Today we’d like to introduce you to Katy Oberle.
Hi Katy, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always been an “old soul” and spiritual seeker; I was so fascinated by what I learned in my high school psychology class that I majored in psychology in college. That fascination with human behavior morphed into a specific interest in studying human relationship dynamics, and I received my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. Over the next 15 years, I worked as a licensed therapist in various practice settings, counseling hundreds of individuals, couples, and families.
Taylor Swifts sings, “You know when it’s time to go.” And I knew that it was time for me to step back from my clinical practice when I started having migraines and panic attacks on a regular basis. After confirming there was nothing physically wrong, I came to the realization that my body was now sounding the alarm since I hadn’t listened to the whispers from my Wise Self over the years asking me to mindfully attune to its needs. As long as I can remember, I’ve engaged in people-pleasing and perfectionistic behaviors because I thought they would bring me safety, belonging, and peace. But instead, they trapped me on a hamster wheel of striving.
During the pandemic, I reflected on the times in my life when I hadn’t been running on that wheel of striving. Turns out, it was whenever I was engaged in the practice of creative self-expression, such as singing on stage, writing a song, or collaging in my journal.
That realization got me wondering about the relationship between mindfulness and creativity.
Mindfulness, if you’re not familiar, is a state of nonjudgmental, intentional awareness of one’s present-moment experience. As a therapist, I had learned about its many mental and physical health benefits, and I had even attended a couple of silent meditation retreats in years prior. But I hadn’t ever purposely integrated mindfulness into my life. I had, however, experienced times when I was regularly integrating creative self-expression into my life. During those times, I felt more alive and more present than ever.
I knew that I needed to bring more mindfulness into my life, mainly to improve my mental health functioning (panic attacks, remember?!), but sitting in formal meditation practice for 20 minutes, twice a day did NOT sound appealing. Sometimes doing so actually awakened the hamster who would then start running on the wheel in order to be the “best” meditator!
So, I decided to combine the principles of creativity with those of mindfulness to make it work for me, and I started referring to this as the practice of Creative Mindfulness.
Creative Mindfulness, in the most general way I define it, is the mindful practice of any activity. That’s where creativity comes in. As long as you’re engaging with an activity or experience in an attentive, intentional, nonjudgmental, self-compassionate way, you’re practicing mindfulness! You can walk through a forest mindfully, sing mindfully, paint mindfully, or even brush your teeth mindfully. The possibilities are endless. Yoga, songwriting, and collaging are some of my favorite creative mindfulness practices.
I still periodically engage in formal seated meditation, but I usually do it outside (unless it’s winter!), and I usually keep my eyes open, so I can take in the natural world—hearing the calls of the birds and the whisper of the wind through the trees, smelling the fresh air, and feeling the warm sun on my face.
As I developed these creative mindfulness practices for myself and witnessed myself becoming more present, more patient, more joyful, more peaceful, and less like a striving hamster, I wanted to start sharing them with others. With my background in psychotherapy and my passion for the arts, I decided I’d like to build a business offering mindfulness-based services with a creative twist. Thus, Katy Oberle Creative, LLC was born.
I provide mindfulness-based workshops, presentations, retreats, coaching, and music to individuals, families, groups, companies, and organizations. A popular workshop of mine is Mindful Vision Boarding, which can be curated to fit your/your group’s needs and goals. For example, at home as a family, at a wine and cheese party with friends, at a high school staff in-service day, and at a large-scale conference of managers.
I’m working on a lot of projects right now. One I’m especially excited about is my first ever creative mindfulness retreat for women, “Transforming and Transcending Your Story,” Sept 23-25, 2022, at Hueston Woods Lodge in College Corner, OH. For details and to register, visit: www.katyoberlecreative.com/retreat.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In some ways, it’s been a smooth road and in other ways a rough one.
I credit much of the smoothness to my family’s unwavering support. My husband is my best friend, and he has held my hand every step of the way. My daughters believe in me and are proud that I am building my own business based on the things I value.
Growing the business has been harder than I thought. I am trying to manage my expectations and practice mindfulness to help with the moments when I feel things “should” be different than they currently are. I have always struggled with being too hard on myself, and I am practicing more self-compassion these days to rewire my brain from its factory setting of perfectionism to one of radical self-acceptance. It’s a process!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about the creative work you do?
I am a singer and have been songwriting since middle school when I learned to play guitar. I recorded my first album in high school and another in college, but I haven’t released those on streaming platforms. However, in 2020 I released “Shine,” a full-length studio album, and in June 2022, I released an EP of 6 songs, “Driftwood.” You can find both wherever you stream music.
I also create and sell what I call “Handmade Songs,” which are commissioned songs for any occasion. Whether you want a theme song for your family, a love song for your partner on your anniversary, or a song about the mission and values of your organization, I’ve got you covered. I utilize my therapeutic skills to enter into a conversation with you about your vision for the song, and I ask clarifying and deepening questions in order to distill the key elements that will comprise the song. Then I work with a professional recording studio to “lay down the track” with vocal and guitar so you have a high-quality keepsake of your song that will stand the test of time. As an add-on option, I’ll perform the song live for your special occasion (plus travel expenses…so if you’re in Hawaii let me know, lol; it’s on my bucket list).
What matters most to you? Why?
Kindness and compassion. So much would look different on our planet if kindness and compassion were top of mind in every human heart. In my tiny corner of the universe, I hope to make a difference by offering ways for people to connect to their true nature (lovingkindness) through the avenues of mindfulness and creativity, so together, we can make a ripple and shine more love into this world for the benefit of all beings.
Pricing:
- My 3-session 1:1 creative mindfulness coaching package “Attune, Create, Thrive”: $397
- A Handmade (commissioned) Song: $397
- A 1.5-hr group Mindful Vision Boarding workshop: Starting at $200
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Customized mindfulness programming for your business: Email Katy at katy@katyoberlecreative.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katyoberlecreative.com
- Instagram: @katyoberle
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katyoberlecreative
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBd4njDkswQK_CQDQF4kh6w
Image Credits
Daisy Zimmer
