TAYLORVILLE — Laci Watson and her daughter, Ava Watson, are the mother-daughter duo behind Whole Family Wellness and Ave Aesthetics, bringing holistic wellness services to the Taylorville community.
Submitted Photo
Rachel Elam
Breeze Courier Writer
TAYLORVILLE— Over the past year, two new wellness-focused businesses have opened in Taylorville, each rooted in a natural, holistic approach, and each run by a mother and daughter building their own paths while sharing a common philosophy.
Laci Watson opened Whole Family Wellness on March 23, 2025, at 1001 N Cheney St, Suite B, offering integrative primary care for patients of all ages. Just weeks later, her daughter Ava Watson launched her business, Aves Aesthetics, located inside Wild Bloom Salon at 209 S. Washington St., providing natural, personalized skincare services.
While the two businesses are separate and serve different needs, both reflect a shared belief in individualized care, natural approaches, and treating the whole person, values that have long been a part of their family.
A family practice focused on integrative care.
Watson, a family nurse practitioner, said Whole Family Wellness was created to meet a growing need in the community for care that blends traditional medicine with holistic options.
“I really saw that there was a need,” Watson said. “There’s really not a lot of options for holistic medicine, and I wanted to bring it home.”
She describes her approach as integrative, built on conventional medical training and testing, while also incorporating holistic tools when appropriate. Watson said appointments are intentionally structured to allow more time for patients to share their full history and concerns.
One way her practice differs from traditional primary care, Watson said, is how treatment is approached when medications are not immediately necessary. She often looks first to supplements and lifestyle support before turning to prescriptions.
“If it’s appropriate that someone take a supplement over a medication, I always try that first,” Watson said.
Watson said she is proud that her practice looks different in many ways. More comprehensive visits, in-depth lab testing, and tools such as gastrointestinal mapping allow her to spend more time understanding what is happening beneath the surface.
“I really try to get to the root of what’s going on,” Watson said, noting that approach helps guide more personalized treatment plans.
In addition to primary care services, Watson also provides bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for men and said she hopes to continue expanding those offerings over time. She also plans to add IV vitamin services later this year. Watson said any new services are added thoughtfully, with an emphasis on safety, quality, and how they fit into her overall integrative approach to care.
She acknowledged that traditional medicine still plays a vital role in patient care, particularly for acute illness or serious conditions.
However, she said supporting the body through nutrition and targeted supplementation can sometimes prevent the need for stronger interventions.
“There’s a side effect with everything.” Watson said, “I think it’s important to acknowledge that and give people options.”
Watson added that the goal is not to replace conventional medication, but to use it alongside holistic tools in a way that best fits each patient.
Whole Family Wellness provides primary care across the lifespan, from pediatrics through geriatrics, including well visits, sick visits, and well-woman exams. Watson said the clinic’s name reflects that wide scope, emphasizing care for individuals at every stage of life.
The logo of Whole Family Wellness also carries deep personal meaning. The clinic’s logo incorporates the birth flower of Watson’s firstborn son, who passed away as a baby, a detail she said was important for her to include as she built the practice. “Whole Family” reflects not only the scope of care she provides, but her belief that family includes every part of one’s story. She described the logo as a quiet way to honor him.
The practice includes three patient rooms, a lab, and a small staff. A lactation consultant is available by appointment, and lab services are offered during regular office hours.
Watson said the goal is to keep the practice personal while continuing to expand services thoughtfully over time.
Aesthetic care rooted in natural skincare.
Just down the road, Watson’s daughter has been building her own client base since opening Aves Aesthetics in May 2025.
Operating out of Wild Bloom Salon, she offers a range of services including facials, back facials, body waxing, eyebrow waxing, acne treatments and light therapy. She also incorporates tools such as high-frequency wands and specialty masks to target specific skin concerns.
She said her interest in skincare began early and was heavily influenced by her upbringing.
“A lot of it has to do with my mom,” she said. “She’s always been healthy and eats so clean, and that has a lot to do with your skin.”
She completed six months of esthetician school and said deciding to pursue skincare professionally became clear to her during her senior year of high school.
Building a clientele in a small town has been one of the biggest challenges, she said, but interest has continued to grow as more people become mindful of skincare and self-care.
“I’m very natural-based,” she said. “The products I use are farmhouse fresh, and they’re all natural. I’m trying to be more of a holistic aesthetician.”
She said acne treatments are among the services she is most passionate about, noting visible improvements for clients when treatments are paired with consistency and proper home care.
Separate businesses, shared values.
Watson said she see clears parallels between the two practices, from individualized care plans to the emphasis on listening and education.
“Ava really personalizes everything”, Watson said. “That’s the same mindset I have with my patients.” Everyone is different. Each body is unique with its own needs.”
For her daughter, that philosophy shows up in how she customizes each facial and treatment based on the client rather than following a fixed routine. “Every facial is specialized for that person,” Ava said.
As they continue to grow their businesses, both say they are grateful for community support and hope their services encourage people to be more intentional about their health both inside and out.
Business Information
Whole Family Wellness
1001 N. Cheney St., Suite B, Taylorville
Hours: Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m.
Appointments can be scheduled by calling 217-777-8000
You can also find them on Facebook: Whole Family Wellness
Aves Aesthetics
209 South Washington, Taylorville, located inside Wild Bloom Salon
Hours vary. Appointments are available all day most weekends, with after 4:30 p.m. availability on Thursdays and Fridays.
Appointments can be scheduled through Facebook by searching Aves Aesthetics.
