Mari DeRienzo, LPC

Mari DeRienzo is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in New Jersey with 39 years of experience. She helps people who are feeling stressed, anxious, or stuck after big life changes. She also supports those dealing with intimacy concerns, parenting strain, grief, low self-esteem, and challenges related to ADHD and compassion fatigue.

She creates a calm, nonjudgmental space where people can talk about what matters to them. Sessions focus on listening first and then finding practical steps that fit each person’s life. Mari aims to make the process feel manageable and clear from the start.

Her work draws on client-centered methods that prioritize the person’s perspective. She uses cognitive behavioral ideas to identify thought patterns that add to stress. Motivational interviewing and solution-focused strategies help set short-term goals and build momentum.

Mari also brings internal family systems ideas into conversations about conflicting feelings and inner parts. This can help people understand why certain reactions keep repeating and how to respond differently.

Across nearly four decades of practice, Mari has supported people facing family problems, communication struggles, infidelity, addiction, and issues connected to alternative sexual cultures and kink. She also addresses concerns related to first responder stress, fatherhood issues, and intellectual disability when relevant.

People who want a straightforward, listening-first approach may find her style useful. She encourages prospective clients to take small steps toward change and offers hands-on strategies to move forward.

How her approaches guide online care

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and following the person's lead, helping people feel heard and respected while they talk through stress, family tensions, or intimacy concerns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and trying small behavioral experiments to reduce anxiety or improve mood. Motivational Interviewing helps when someone feels stuck or unsure about change by boosting their own reasons and readiness to move forward.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each client to select methods that match their goals, needs, and preferences. Many people blend elements from different approaches to address immediate problems and longer-term patterns.

The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets clients try different rhythms of work while focusing on the same practical steps discussed in sessions with a licensed professional.