Blue Mound Counseling

04/08/2026

Blue Mound State Park is a sweet prairie land near my home town of Luverne Minnesota. More than a campground, a place of wonderment to my younger self and one I still enjoy with family when possible. It’s an eclectic little piece of land that holds memories of skinned knees from bicycle crashes, quarry hikes, fawn feedings, and larger than life characters from my childhood. It’s a place near my home where the buffalo do still, literally roam. It was a place of freedom, curiosity, and community for me when I was young and learning how to take up space in the world.

One of the things I love most about the work I do is that it requires ongoing curiosity about the many aspects of life we humans live as relational beings. I’ve learned the importance of asking meaningful questions and engaging people through the lens of their own stories rather than through that of my own expectations, assumptions, and biases. Every day I sit across from image bearers who long to be known, find acceptance, and to feel loved just as they are.

If you find yourself reading this because you are desperate to figure out how to navigate your relationships, I hope you find courage to re-engage in a new way. If you feel lost and alone in a tragic or meaningless story, I hope you find comfort in relationship with someone who will hold space for your sadness and grief. And if you are here coincidentally because our paths crossed during a different season of our lives, maybe it’s not an accident after all. Maybe there’s something for you to be curious about in your own life. My desire in all of this is to help people see the beauty of inhabiting our stories with intentionality so we might experience more of the freedom we were created to enjoy.

Welcome to a Life Well Lived. Welcome to Blue Mound Counseling.

Alex & Sarah Vis

03/25/2026

"I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self" -Henri Nouwen

07/11/2025

Grief is how we come to terms with our new reality. It’s the process in which the old is mourned and released, and the new is accepted and assimilated into what’s new. Without proper grieving, you will be forever stuck in the in-between — struggling with the loss but never accepting the new life you live in.

04/11/2024

It's been said that "Nothing changes if nothing changes". If you find yourself repeatedly frustrated by relationships in your life "just not being what they could be", you may benefit from bringing your story to someone who is committed to objectively considering your role in the dysfunction. If you can be curious and kind towards yourself in the process, you might just be able to find a new way to exist in relationship with other broken humans.

01/06/2024

A regular part of the work I do in my practice is to help people grow in their ability to be assertive with the people that matter to them. There are often many obstacles to overcome in moving someone out of avoidance and self-preservation, but the payoff is oh-so sweet. Commit to truth!

09/09/2023

Within the context of the work I do with each client, there are short term goals and a long term vision. In the bigger picture as a male therapist, I've desired to play a part in the correction of the cultural narrative that therapy is for the weak or especially broken. Moments like this with a new client put some wind in all of our sails.
If you are struggling with your mental health, or in your relationships with others, self, or God, I hope you find the courage to talk with someone. Do your work, fellas.

08/18/2023

Loneliness is an epidemic, and it seems that evil loves to operate in the arena of relationship; using shame, fear, and mistrust to disconnect us from those we love. In my own life this has been true, and I see it playing every day in the work I do. Clients consistently report positive changes in mood, outlook, and even in their physical health when they feel connected in their relationships that matter most. Those that show up with curiosity about their own role in the dysfunction seem more easily able to understand and overcome the barriers preventing them from enjoying the types of relationships they long for.

Mental Health and Relationship Counseling in the Jacksonville and St Augustine area.

06/14/2023

Blue Mound Counseling

02/20/2023

02/12/2023

Being a therapist is not about being in the business of advice giving. Sometimes it just takes someone else holding the flashlight as you walk around in the shadows of your story, reframing events and naming some themes that may or may not be significant to consider. Sometimes you may need a little help being curious and kind towards yourself.

It is a tremendous honor for me to help people navigate their inner world and learn how to engage relationships in a healthy way. Good for you, all who have taken the first courageous step. For those who are hesitant, cynical, or have had less than helpful experiences in therapy in the past, I encourage you to move through the discomfort. May you learn to trust again, find permission to grieve, and begin to live life well.

Welcome to Blue Mound Counseling,

Be kind to yourself!