Name of business: Amy Mundello Therapy

Type of business: Licensed marriage and family therapy

Location: 261 N. Palm St., Turlock

Hours: Monday through Friday by appointment only

Contact information: 209-850-0844

Specialty: Adjustment to life transitions

History of business:

After a decade of work in the mental health field, Turlock resident Amy Mundello, LMFT, has opened a private therapy practice in her hometown — something she calls “a dream come true.”

Mundello was always content with her prior occupation as a teacher, but then tragedy struck. Her sister lost a battle with ovarian cancer when she was just 30 years old, and through the heartbreak Mundello discovered a passion for helping others which led her to pursue a career in therapy.

“Losing my sister was really part of the catalyst for me looking at my life and what I wanted to do,” Mundello said. “I felt like it was a passion to walk alongside people that were really struggling, and it gave so much back to me and my life.”

Prior to opening her private practice, Mundello had been working as a therapist at Deep Wellness Center. She was also a counselor at Aspiranet and a grief support specialist at Bristol Hospice. Earlier in her career she worked in support services at Emanuel Cancer Center where she co-facilitated groups for patients living with cancer and children with parents who were undergoing treatment.  Mundello also served as a volunteer group facilitator at Jessica's House, a program providing support in a safe place for children, teens, young adults and their families grieving a death.

Mundello wanted to open her own private practice in Turlock to provide a much-needed service in the area and to be closer to her home and family.

“It was time to be closer to home, and I feel like Turlock is a little bit underserved in mental health,” Mundello said. “It was always a dream of mine to have my own practice at some point in life, and it came much quicker than I expected.”

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, Mundello specializes in stress management, relationship discord, parenting, depression, anxiety, grief and loss and trauma. In addition, she specializes in adjustment to life transitions, such as divorce, the diagnosis of a serious illness and empty nest syndrome. Mundello also offers a six-week marriage preparation series for soon-to-be-married couples.

“It’s super rewarding to work with people who are motivated to learn something about how to do life better,” she said. “That’s always so exciting to see people be able to make a turnaround and have confidence, direction and healing. That keeps me going.”

Mundello said she is happy to see the stigma surrounding mental health be erased across the country, and encouraged those who think they need to talk to a professional therapist to seek treatment.

“It’s perfectly healthy and acceptable for anybody at different times in life to get a little bit of an outside perspective and support,” Mundello said. “If we’re blessed enough to have supportive people in our life that’s great, but sometimes they’re too close to the situation and you need that nonjudgmental person to get guidance from about what you’re making decisions on.”