Mari DeRienzo , LPC

Mari DeRienzo is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in New Jersey with 39 years of professional experience. As an LPC she has formal training to provide mental health therapy and works with people across a wide range of concerns. Her practice emphasizes creating an open, nonjudgmental space where thoughts and emotions can be explored and understood.

Mari has extensive experience supporting individuals and families with stress and anxiety, family conflicts, intimacy-related concerns, parenting challenges, anger, grief, self-esteem, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, ADHD, and LGBT issues. She also attends to related areas such as substance concerns, codependency, communication difficulties, and family of origin issues. In sessions she combines empathy with practical tools, drawing on approaches that fit each person s needs and goals. Mari recognizes that beginning therapy takes courage and she aims to meet people where they are while helping them move toward clearer coping and better relationships.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Mari draws from several evidence-based methods to tailor therapy to each person s needs. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy and active listening - the therapist follows the client s lead and helps build self-understanding and emotional resilience, which can be helpful for relationship issues, self-esteem, and coping with change.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. It offers practical strategies for managing anxiety, stress, impulsivity, and mood-related concerns. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented style that helps people resolve ambivalence and strengthen motivation for change, which can be useful for substance concerns, commitment issues, and other behavior changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Mari works collaboratively with each person to consider their goals, preferences, and the issues they want to address, adjusting methods as progress unfolds.

Online therapy makes these approaches accessible through flexible options like video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These formats allow people to engage in regular therapy around work, family, or geographic constraints and to continue work between sessions in ways that fit their daily life.