Healing Isn’t Always a Parfait — Sometimes It’s an Onion, and That’s Okay

There’s a scene in Shrek—yes, the animated ogre movie—where Shrek says:

“Ogres are like onions. They have layers.”

Donkey, ever the optimist, isn’t sold. He suggests cake. Or parfaits. “Everybody loves parfaits!”

But here’s the thing: healing is a lot more like an onion than a parfait.

It’s messy. It stings. You’re probably going to cry.
And that’s not only okay—it’s necessary.

In wellness circles, we often see healing portrayed with soft metaphors:

• Caterpillars turning into butterflies

• Blooming flowers

• Bubble Baths and candles

• Maybe even Layered desserts, like cakes and parfaits

And sure, those metaphors have their place.
Butterflies are beautiful.
Parfaits are delicious.
Flowers are delicate and awe-inspiring.

But what happens when your transformation feels nothing like that?
What if your healing feels like shedding skin, screaming into pillows, and unraveling everything you thought you knew?

That’s the onion work.
That’s the shadow work.
That’s the real work.

Not all healing is soft and sweet. Sometimes it’s sour, salty, sharp, and raw.
And yet—it’s still sacred.

At Full Scale Wellness, we honor the full spectrum of healing. Whether your journey looks like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis or like a snake dragging itself across stones to shed an old skin, it’s valid. Whether you bloom like a flower or burn like a phoenix, you’re still healing. Whether your layers look like whipped cream or bring onion tears—you are still doing the work.

There is no wrong way to heal.

One version isn’t better than the other.
It’s not about looking good—
It’s about becoming whole.

So yes, you might be an onion.
You might be a parfait.
You might be a dragon in mid-molt.

Whatever shape your healing takes—we’re here for it.