Mari DeRienzo , LPC

Mari DeRienzo is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in New Jersey with 39 years of professional experience. She brings long-standing clinical experience to work with individuals and families facing stress and anxiety, family conflicts, intimacy-related concerns, parenting challenges, grief, self-esteem struggles, ADHD, compassion fatigue, anger, and a range of other life adjustments. Her background also includes work with issues around communication, codependency, substance concerns, and relationship difficulties.

Mari emphasizes a collaborative, nonjudgmental approach that invites clients to share thoughts and feelings openly. She focuses on creating a dependable space where exploration and practical problem solving can occur, tailoring support to each person or family she meets. Her training as an LPC - a Licensed Professional Counselor - reflects formal preparation in counseling theory and clinical practice.

Mari understands that beginning therapy often requires courage, and she acknowledges that first step as part of the healing process. Her goal is to help clients identify goals, build coping skills, and navigate life changes with clarity and purpose.

Approaches That Guide Online Care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating a respectful, empathic relationship where the client leads the pace and direction of work. This approach helps people who need support exploring feelings, improving self-esteem, or navigating relationship and family concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) examines the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and offers practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns. CBT can be useful for managing stress, anxiety, impulsivity, and challenges like procrastination or mood shifts.

Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented method that helps strengthen personal motivation for change. It is especially helpful when someone is ambivalent about steps such as addressing substance use, making parenting changes, or committing to ongoing therapeutic work.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Mari works collaboratively with clients to identify which methods match their needs, goals, and preferences, and adjusts the plan over time as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexible options including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, connect across distances, and maintain continuity of care when in-person visits are not possible. Licensed professionals can adapt techniques effectively in each format to support meaningful progress.