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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm

Arukah Counseling LLC

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O'Fallon, MO
Arukah Counseling LLC

Hello! My name is Krista Mertz MEd, LPC, owner of Arukah Counseling LLC. I am an EMDR trained Licensed Professional Counselor.

I specialize in working with adults with concerns related to trauma, anxiety, depression, shame, and guilt. My hope is to help clients find healing and restoration, in order to step into the freedom of who they were always made to be!

02/03/2026

Had to hop on the trend 😅
Considering I hardly use ChatGPT, I think it covered the basics pretty well lol

01/17/2026

Anxiety isn’t just “in your head.”
It’s energy in your nervous system asking to move. 🌿

From a polyvagal and somatic experiencing lens, anxiety often means your body is stuck in a mobilized survival state (fight/flight). When that energy doesn’t complete its cycle, it lingers—showing up as restlessness, racing thoughts, tension, or overwhelm.

✨ Regulation isn’t about forcing calm.
✨ It’s about safely discharging activation and letting your nervous system come back to balance.

Try this gentle somatic reset:
• Push your feet into the floor and notice the pressure
• Slowly press your palms together, then release
• Shake out your hands or legs for 10–20 seconds
• Take a long exhale (exhales signal safety to the vagus nerve)

In somatic work, we call this titration—small, manageable doses of movement that help the body complete what it couldn’t finish in moments of stress.

Your body already knows how to regulate.
We’re just helping it remember. 🤍

Save this for later and share with someone whose nervous system could use a little kindness today.

01/10/2026

✨ Why Intentions > Goals for 2026 ✨

As a counselor, I see this every year:
People don’t fail because they lack discipline — they struggle because goals often ignore the human nervous system.

Goals are outcome-focused.
Intentions are relationship-focused.

A goal says: “I must achieve this.” (hello black and white thinking traps...👀)
An intention says: “This is how I want to show up.” (hello curiosity and patience 💜)

When life gets stressful (and it will), rigid goals can trigger shame, avoidance, or burnout. Intentions, on the other hand, support flexibility, self-compassion, and regulation — the foundations of sustainable change.

Examples:
❌ Goal: “I will work out 5 days a week.”
✅ Intention: “I intend to care for my body with curiosity and respect.”
❌ Goal: “I will stop being anxious.”
✅ Intention: “I intend to respond to anxiety with patience and tools.”

Intentions keep you connected to your values even when conditions aren’t perfect. They allow room for being human.

For 2026, consider asking:
🧠 How do I want to feel in my body?
❤️ How do I want to treat myself when I struggle?
🌱 Who do I want to be — not just what do I want to achieve?

Progress doesn’t come from pressure.
It comes from alignment.

PRESENCE is my intention this year. SHARE WHATS YOURS BELOW!

2026Intentions CounselorLife

01/07/2026

Here's to 2026 and trying new things! Thank you to for the interview and for the nomination.

It is okay to BE SEEN
It is okay to BE KNOWN
It is okay to BE OPEN

If you struggle with feeling trapped, lost in lies and shame, unable to find yourself...I'd love to talk with you! You dont have to fight alone.

https://voyagestl.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-krista-mertz

11/29/2025

Happy First Snowfall here in St Louis ❄️

It is moments like this that remind me to be connected, to know that life is ever changing yet grounded at the same time.

Take a moment to pause and enjoy one of my favorite sounds 🎶

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from Arukah Counseling LLC!

Wishing you gratitude, grounding, and growth 🙏

11/26/2025

Hi!! Im Krista 🙂

I figured I'd pop on here to tell you more about who I am and what I do!

Im an EMDR trained licensed professional counselor who LOVES walking alongside others on their journeys to RECLAIMING freedom.

Im a mother, a wife, a dog mom, a devoted coffee lover, and kid at heart. I always down for a good game night or a dance party 🎉

My heart is focused on helping people REVEAL where they feel stuck or trapped, RELEASE lies and shame, and to RECLAIM the true story of who they are and want to be.

I'd love to connect with you 💚

11/17/2025

Sometimes work is showing up to my office, and other times it looks like encouraging, educating, and empowering others through information 💜

Thank you Little Black Book: Women in Business for creating opportunities this past week for me to share my heart on gratitude and the amazing ways it shapes the brain!

11/09/2025

Had such a blast celebrating Helping Hand-Me-Downs tonight with these amazing ladies from Collaborative Counseling Network !!! Who doesn't need a little disco in their life?!? 🕺✨️🍼

10/27/2025

What an honor it was to join Marietta Divine as a guest speaker for her Paint and Prayer event!! Thankful to be making connections with women who inspire hope and change! If you haven't checked out her prayer journals and workbooks, YOU SHOULD!

10/16/2025

Learn how your anxiety can actually negatively impact your dog: http://bit.ly/anxietyanddogs

Address

1137 N Main Street, Suite 2
O'Fallon, MO
63366

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/348935, http://arukahcounselingllc.org/

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