Meet Courtney Garner | Meditation & Mindfulness Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Courtney Garner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
The top habits that have helped me succeed is not allowing myself the opportunity to overthink the actions I need to take. Once I’ve decided theres a habit I need to develop that will push me towards my goals. For instance, I wanted to start going to the gym, so when I notice I’m laying in bed, thinking of excuses and all the things I need to do instead, I drop my attention to those thoughts and jump out of bed. The habit thats the foundation for being able to drop my attention is meditation. I would not be who I am today without Meditation and Mindfulness. To be self aware allows me to make conscious decisions for change and not feel like a victim of circumstance, genetics, or social conditioning. Meditation is an exercise that strengthens my mind and reminds me that I run this!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
So, picture this: 2010, me in stiff scrubs, with dreams of wielding a scalpel like a rockstar reconstructive surgeon. Turns out, the whole “8 years of med school” thing wasn’t exactly in my budget (or my sanity). Nursing it was. So in my most optimistic fashion I made nursing my fast-track to the operating room and ended up as a Recovery, surrounded by beautiful people post-plastic surgery…but me? More like post-enthusiasm.

Fast forward to burnout central: long shifts, endless chatter, and enough stress to power a small nation. My love life resembled a deflated whoopee cushion, and frankly, I felt like a zombie. So I did what most of you do, I Google for my salvation. I found a school that would certify me to teach and coach meditation and Tantra based in Tibetan Buddhism. Key words: “Mindfulness meditation AND intimacy? Sign me up!” I figured this tantric Buddhist thing was a magic bullet for my woes.

I dove headfirst, became a certified coach and sexologist (who knew that was a thing?), and here I was, coaching clients from all over the world. From Europe, to Hawaii to South America and the US. My very own business was born and honestly, I wasn’t as good at the business part as the coaching part. Using my nurse brain, I whipped up a holistic plan to slay trauma , intimacy issues, and the common mental health imbalances most of us encounter several times within our lives. Witnessing my clients blossom was pure magic and the most fulfillment I’d ever known, besides a brownie sundae.

The best part of my job? Retreats! Picture a bunch of awesome strangers bonding on vacation over deep breaths, meditation, and the sheer joy of being alive (not just existing!). Now, I focus sound baths and immersive meditation because, let’s face it, sometimes a little “ahh” goes a long way to feeling truly present and relaxed in your body. Its the foundation of self care that got me to where I am today and is the wood my personal growth tool box is made from.

My ultimate brag? My book, “6 Sensual Secrets: An Intimate Gateway to Mindfulness.” It’s my baby, a culmination of everything I’ve learned about becoming a total mindfulness maniac. (Available on Amazon, by the way…just sayin’).

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve only been in Atlanta Georgia for 7 months, but my favorite thing about this city is the abundance of nature. For the ultimate city park adventure, Piedmont Park offers acres of green, lakes, sprinkled with events and interesting people dong a little bit of everything from yoga, to soccer, to live bands.
Nearby in Roswell you’ll find Vickery Creek Waterfalls, where you can take a cute. hike to the waterfall and sit at its base to get a nice mist to the face.
For some good soul fulfilling food, I suggest Rock Steady on Marietta Street where the decor is a good as the food, plus the service is top tier. I got the curry goat and jerk chicken last time along with a glass of Jesus water to wash it down. I’m definitely going back!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my success to my Dream Team, which is a group of mostly women but some great men as well, who have contributed immensely to my growth and success through moral support, active listening, sound advice, and being the backboard for my ideas. Because of them, my growth is fertilized with love and reminds me that I’m capable of amazing fetes.

Website: https://garnergrowth.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenbodygoddess

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwCa67GRljvr8NH5aDv4SGA

Image Credits
MediaMRG, Matthew Addenbrooke
Function Presents, Vernon Karter