Hi, I am a NY and NJ licensed psychologist specializing in helping you navigate life transitions and heal from divorce, abusive relationships, anxiety, and depression. I am strongly committed to helping you connect with hope and feel empowered to make any needed changes in your life. I have been helping clients meet their goals over the last twenty years. In 2014, I founded the Ocean Waves Wellness Center to provide a safe, nurturing space to guide you in the process of healing and self-discovery. While we can never change the past, we can work through feelings, heal, and build a different future.
**I am currently offering both in-person and Telehealth sessions. I am here to help you navigate the challenging times we are facing along with other concerns you may be struggling with.**
I tailor my approach to therapy to meet the unique needs of each individual. I will teach you creative new coping tools while exploring underlying concerns and guiding you towards greater understanding of yourself. I am driven to help you gain insight into your relationships and make relationship decisions, including when to stay and when it may be best to end. I will help you to express your feelings and needs and heal from relationship changes, loss, divorce, and narcissistic abuse. You will learn to trust your own voice versus the narcissistic, critical, and/or abusive messages.
We can work on healing from toxic parental relationships, co-parenting with a difficult or narcissistic ex, setting healthy boundaries, navigating blended family dynamics, strengthening your independent identity, and building healthier relationships. Through my own high conflict divorce journey, I gained greater strength, confidence, peace, and happiness than I ever could have imagined. I am also beyond grateful for a bright life after divorce, with my husband and blended family of six. Four teenagers and three dogs keep us all very busy! My training and personal experiences have shaped my passion in helping others. Together, we will figure out the best path forward for you.
In addition to providing individual therapy, I am a certified divorce and family mediator, parent coordinator, and a co-parenting therapist. I assist couples in amicably separating, without litigation. I provide co-parenting therapy to help parents of pre/post divorce families move forward in a positive manner, maintaining a focus on meeting the needs of their children. I help parents develop a parenting plan, improve communication, build mutual decision-making skills, and develop a healthier working relationship.
As I value the mind-body connection, it is important to me to provide a space that encourages both emotional and physical strength and wellness. Exercise does not have to be about how many minutes you walk on a treadmill, but about the joy of moving and feeling strong. Run races with children, jump rope, dance, find a sport you love, or simply try to remember what you enjoyed doing as a child (when there was no pressure to exercise, only the joy of playing). For me, building physical strength helped me to feel stronger and more confident in other areas of my life. I discovered the thrill of running and the peacefulness of a beautiful run along the Jersey Shore boardwalks. In the last four years, I completed the Jersey Shore Half Marathon, the Philadelphia Marathon, the Brooklyn Half Marathon, the NYC Marathon, and the Asbury Palooza. I also love putting on my boxing gloves and hitting the heaving bag. At Ocean Waves, we can help you figure out the best way to achieve overall wellness.
I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology through the Brooklyn College Scholars Program and earned my Doctorate in Counseling Psychology at the University at Buffalo. I completed an APA-accredited internship at the University of Delaware Center for Counseling and Student Development. Prior to private practice, I served as a staff psychologist at the University at Buffalo Counseling Center and as the Director of the Day Treatment Program and therapist at the Renfrew Center of New Jersey. I have completed certificates in family and divorce mediation and parent coordination as well as significant advanced training in understanding the ongoing needs of families navigating high-conflict divorce.
True change requires more than talking about it. Many of the clients I have worked with desire change, but have struggled to put new ideas and behaviors into action. Whether it’s fear of change, a feeling of failure, shame, lack of support, or another obstacle, some have needed more to help them reach their goals. I like to think outside the box and have created new programs to meet these needs in an innovative new way. I will be your therapist, mentor, and coach, and will guide you to realize your own power, passion and purpose.
Advanced Training Courses/Certificates:
*Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Training
*Certified High Conflict Divorce Coach and Consultant
*Clinically Addressing Narcissistic Abuse w/ Dr. Ramani Durvasula
*Coping with the Unique Grief of the Narcissistic Relationship w/ Dr. Ramani Durvasula
*Core Techniques for Healing from Narcissistic Abuse w/ Dr. Ramani Durvasula
*Divorce and Family Mediation 40-Hour Certificate
*Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers Certificate w/ Dr. Karyl McBride
*How to Become More Gaslight Resistant w/ Dr. Ramani Durvasula
*Mastering the Dynamics of Narcissistic Relationships w/ Dr. Ramani Durvasula
*New Ways for Families: A structured parenting skills method for high conflict families w/ Bill Eddy
*Overview of Narcissistic Personality Styles w/ Dr. Ramani Durvasula
*Parent Coordination 40-Hour Certificate
Contact:
732-845-1111
drkerri@oceanwaveswellness.com
Insurance Accepted:
Aetna
UnitedHealthCare
Oxford
Optum