Full Bloom Counseling & Coaching

Full Bloom Counseling & Coaching Virtual & in-person counseling sessions | Couples, families, & individuals | Located in Washington MO

Moms, it is so easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of Christmas celebrations. So many of us feel the pressure to m...
12/24/2025

Moms, it is so easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of Christmas celebrations. So many of us feel the pressure to make everything perfect—to make sure everyone feels loved and that the day feels special.

With that stress often comes anxiety: Am I doing enough? Am I getting this right? Add an outburst or two toward the people you love most, and suddenly you’re in a full-blown shame spiral. I’m writing this because I’ve lived it. In those hard, low moments, I start to wonder if I’m even the right mom for my kids.

It. Is. A. Lie.

The truth is usually much simpler: I’ve put too much pressure on myself and overloaded the schedule. Somewhere along the way, I may have even lost sight of why I’m celebrating Christmas in the first place. The very first Christmas was simple. Quiet. Holy. Let’s get back to more of that.

Stay grounded in the truth of who God says you are. Stay focused on what truly matters. And lastly, stay unhurried and not overloaded.

Merry Christmas 🎄

For most of my life, I carried the feeling that people liked me—but that I was never quite fully chosen. Always on the e...
12/22/2025

For most of my life, I carried the feeling that people liked me—but that I was never quite fully chosen. Always on the edges. Sometimes picked last… if at all.

I can see now that many of those feelings were rooted in real relational wounds. Hard things happened, and as my brain tried to make sense of them, it formed a lie to explain the pain. Over time, that lie became the lens through which I viewed relationships.

There were moments when I truly wasn’t included or chosen. But there were far more moments when the truth—that I was loved and desired for connection—was simply outside the focus of that distorted lens.

Through EMDR and healing work grounded in the truth of what God says about me, that lie no longer has power over me. The bo***ge it created has been replaced with freedom and truth.

That healing has opened the door to one of the richest seasons of my life. As a homeschool mom, I joined a co-op this past year and have cultivated some of the most beautiful, life-giving friendships with other moms.

Your healing matters. It leads to deeper freedom and richer connection.
And as a bonus—when your kids have friends with cool parents, it makes becoming their new friend a whole lot easier too. 💛

If any part of this story resonates with you, you don’t have to walk that healing journey alone. Support, healing, and truth-filled care are available—and taking the first step can open the door to more freedom than you may imagine.

I feed, care for, and genuinely love 40+ chickens.Today? I collected four eggs.You don’t have to share my chicken obsess...
12/19/2025

I feed, care for, and genuinely love 40+ chickens.

Today? I collected four eggs.

You don’t have to share my chicken obsession to understand the frustration of pouring into something that isn’t giving much back right now. Many of us know what it’s like to show up faithfully—at work, in relationships, in caregiving, in ministry—and feel like the return is… minimal.

As a longtime chicken enthusiast, I also know this season makes sense. My fluffy-butt ladies don’t lay as much in colder temperatures. Rest is built into their design. And sometimes they even tuck their eggs away in secret places, just to keep things interesting.

I could slip into a grumbling mindset: They’re not doing their part. It would be nice if I didn’t have to keep producing. Must be nice to rest while someone else keeps showing up.

But instead, I’m choosing love and perspective. I’m grateful they’re taking a well-deserved break. I trust that in time, there will be abundance again. And I’m reminded that their worth—like ours—was never meant to be measured by productivity alone.

Even God designed seasons of rest. Winter doesn’t mean something is wrong; it means renewal is happening beneath the surface.

…But also, ladies, please lay more eggs 😂🥚

Do you know what’s effective for mental health—but way more expensive than therapy?Chickens.How so? Well, once you get c...
12/16/2025

Do you know what’s effective for mental health—but way more expensive than therapy?

Chickens.

How so? Well, once you get chickens, you’ll notice how happy they make you. Then you get more. Then an incubator to hatch them. Then a bigger coop.

Soon, you discover ducks. Ducks need a pond.

And since you already have chickens and ducks, you might as well get goats. Three goats can quickly turn into twenty-one after a productive breeding season. Baby goats are just the best! But of course, they’ll need food… and shelter…. I haven’t even mentioned vet care!

Once you’re this deep into homesteading “for your mental health,” why not go all the way and add hogs? Now you have companions and healthy meat that supports your physical health too.

Honestly, I probably would’ve saved money by going to therapy first 😂

But life wouldn’t have been nearly as fun!!!

So reach out if you need help scheduling an appointment—or if you need help finding your first flock of chickens… the ultimate gateway animal 😝

How many times have you felt like giving up when things became hard, inconvenient, or uncertain—when you weren’t sure th...
12/15/2025

How many times have you felt like giving up when things became hard, inconvenient, or uncertain—when you weren’t sure the cost of moving forward was worth the effort?

I ask because this has been me more times than I’d like to admit.

Recently, my husband and I (Kati 🥰) took our kids on a hike to Hawksbill Crag in Arkansas. The hike up was tough—especially since we were already tired from a three-mile hike we’d done earlier that day at another location.

Our daughter began to struggle. She was exhausted, the incline felt endless, and she couldn’t see what was waiting just around the corner. What she didn’t know was that the view ahead couldn’t be fully captured in pictures—it’s something you have to experience to truly appreciate. We had to ask her to trust us, to believe that we wanted this for her, and to keep walking through the discomfort just a little longer.

She wasn’t disappointed. She loved it.

Sharing that moment with her was special, but even more meaningful was the lesson in trust. We talked about how God often calls us to things that don’t make sense in the moment. And if we quit too soon, we may miss the blessing that’s just ahead—just beyond the current trial.

If you’re in a hard season right now, we hope you’ll keep going. Keep trudging forward. Every once in a while, you get to stand on the mountaintop—and those moments make the valleys more meaningful when you realize it was all worth it.

😝
12/13/2025

😝

12/13/2025

I found this little guy at Target a few weeks ago, and he’s been making the rounds between our offices and lobby ever since!

He reminds me a bit of Elf on the Shelf 😊

So now we’re wondering… what should we name the therapist version?

My top contender so far: Sir Reflects-A-Lot 🛋️✨

Drop your ideas in the comments—we’d love to hear them!

This past Monday, I had a choice.I could feed the anxious thoughts and discouragement that came from having to cancel a ...
12/03/2025

This past Monday, I had a choice.

I could feed the anxious thoughts and discouragement that came from having to cancel a full day of clients due to the snow… curl up for a nap…and hide under the covers.

Or…

I could step outside into the beauty of the fresh snow, watch the kids sled and play, and use the unexpected time to connect with my family and catch up on a few things around the house.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about this verse in 2 Corinthians, along with the truth that “I reap what I sow.”

If I sow half-truths, self-criticism, or thoughts that go against who God says I am, I will almost certainly reap discouragement, disappointment, and strained relationships.

But if I choose to pause, refuse to take the bait of every emotional wave, and instead hold my thoughts and feelings up to the truth of who God is, I’m far more likely to experience peace, joy, and deeper, healthier connection with others.

And on Monday, I’m so glad I chose well.

Hearing the kids laugh and giggle in the snow while my dog chased them across our land became a sweet core memory I’ll carry with me for a long time.

Several years ago, we (Elyssa 😘) planted a little mint. I love mint—I cook with it, add it to drinks, and enjoy having i...
11/28/2025

Several years ago, we (Elyssa 😘) planted a little mint. I love mint—I cook with it, add it to drinks, and enjoy having it right outside our door. But mint definitely has a survivor’s mentality. It will do whatever it takes to keep growing!

We started with just a couple of sprigs in a flower pot, then set the pot into our flower bed so it would blend in with the rest of the plants. It didn’t take long before I noticed mint sprouting outside the pot. Before we knew it, it was popping up all throughout the flower bed. By the next spring, it had even spread into the yard.

I try to protect the “good” mint—the healthy, pretty growth that adds flavor and beauty. But some mint, while it may look fine, grows in the wrong places and can quickly take over, damaging other plants. That mint needs to be pulled. Sometimes it comes out easily, roots and all. Other times the leaves and stem break off, leaving the root behind. If I don’t dig down and remove that root, the mint will return even stronger—sending rhizomes out and causing trouble in other parts of the yard.

Our thoughts are a lot like mint. It’s a blessing to be able to think, remember, and reason—but our thoughts can also run wild if we don’t tend them. Healthy, true thoughts need to be nurtured and protected. Other thoughts may seem harmless at first, but if left alone, they can wreak havoc on the healthy ones. Some thoughts are easy to uproot. Others require us to dig deeper—to identify where they came from and address them at the root.

Sometimes we can tend to our thoughts on our own. Other times, we need the support of someone who can help us recognize what’s causing harm and help us work through it.

It takes courage, strength, and persistence to tend to our thoughts. But when we do, they lead us toward a more peaceful life.

Life is a lot like a goat shed.It’s going to fill up with poopy hay. Not if, not once in a while—but regularly. Life get...
11/19/2025

Life is a lot like a goat shed.

It’s going to fill up with poopy hay.

Not if, not once in a while—but regularly.

Life gets messy, and the mess always needs tending.

When we neglect the muck, here’s what happens:

—The shed starts to smell.

—The goats’ health suffers.

—Momma goats lose a safe place to give birth and
the babies’ health is affected.

—And overall, you end up with some very unhappy goats.

BUT… when you consistently clean the shed, you create space for good things:

—A pleasant, welcoming place people actually want to step into.

—You get healthy, spoiled goats (always fun to watch!)

—The mommas have healthy thriving babies—this comes with endless entertainment 😝

—And the surprising bonus: the muck you removed becomes rich compost that helps your garden grow.

You are the goat shed 🥴

If you don’t tend to your wounds, repeated patterns, stored trauma (especially the kind tied to old lies), or unhealthy attachments, things begin to stink!!!

**Your emotional and relational health declines, and the people you love most feel the effects**

But when you’re honest about your “muck” and willing to step into the cleaning process, the benefits are incredible. Once the mess is addressed, you create space for growth you never thought possible.

❤️❤️❤️Here’s to cleaning the goat poo—and finding new life in the process❤️❤️❤️

For those of you who claim to have no emotions or that you don’t pass gas… I don’t believe you 😝😝😝As a Registered Play T...
11/12/2025

For those of you who claim to have no emotions or that you don’t pass gas… I don’t believe you 😝😝😝

As a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor who has has worked with kids for the last 16 years, I have learned you must have a sense of humor!

🍁 The Gift of Tradition 🍂One of the reasons I (Elyssa ❤️) love fall so much is because of our family traditions. Decorat...
11/10/2025

🍁 The Gift of Tradition 🍂

One of the reasons I (Elyssa ❤️) love fall so much is because of our family traditions. Decorating our home each year always stirs up sweet memories—some decorations I bought, some I made with our kids, and some they made themselves. Each one carries a story of laughter, love, and connection.

Our food traditions have their own rhythm, too. Sweet potatoes are always on the Thanksgiving table, though how they’re made seems to change every few years—sometimes baked with peaches and pecans (thanks to my college roommate for that one!), sometimes whipped into a soufflé. Each new season brings new flavors, new memories, and new faces around the table.

As our kids have grown, our traditions have shifted, too. The leaf piles that once brought squeals of laughter have turned into family teamwork days. And now, with a growing family and our first grandbaby on the way, I find myself thanking God for the roots He’s grown in us through these simple, sacred rhythms.

Traditions remind us who we are, where we’ve been, and how faithful God has been through it all.

✨ What fall traditions remind you of God’s faithfulness and the beauty of connection in your own life?

Address

1874 Highway A, Suite 102 And 104
Washington, MO
63090

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Full Bloom Counseling & Coaching posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Full Bloom Counseling & Coaching:

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category