The journey to building this company has been challenging yet fulfilling. I’d say Mo Mello’s journey really began in my childhood. Even as a kid, teaching and helping made me happy. I would line up my teddy bears to teach the lesson for the day and help them navigate the curious new world that was my bedroom.

As life moved on, teddy bears became real people and I quickly realized how the complexity and diversity of the human spirit made teaching both an art and a science. I wanted to understand behavior and its impact on how people learn and develop, so I majored in psychology for my undergraduate studies. I soon realized that my life path had to include helping others, even among the long nights of studying research and models. I went on to receive my Masters in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling. After graduate school, I became a licensed professional counselor (LPC).

Here is where the helping really began.

I started my counseling career in a residential substance abuse facility for women. In this population, I came to deeply understand the impacts of trauma, loss, and self-medication. From there, I ventured into the private sector where I worked with children, adults, and families. The experience with working with such a diverse set of patients gave me invaluable knowledge of skills and techniques to encourage mental wellness for those in need.

Nonetheless, I also became very aware of the voids and inequities in access to mental healthcare for communities that need it the most. After much planning and research, Mo Mello was born in 2020. Why the name? We wanted something that would instantly communicate that we are here to promote the “mellow” that is achieved when mindfulness and mental health can flourish, and we strive to make mental wellness more approachable and relaxed.

So, there you have it, Mo Mello.

Mo Mello’s purpose is very simple – to close the gaps in mental health availability for the underserved with a focus on families and educators. We offer a wide variety of community-focused mental health services including mindfulness and meditation practices, free short-term individual therapy services, affordable long-term therapy services, and professional development training for educators.