Jersey Shore in Motion recently had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Kerri Weiss Lazar, licensed psychologist, mentor, educator, mother and owner of Ocean Waves Wellness Center in Ocean, NJ. Her center opened in June 2014 and has quickly become a source of healing and support for women and young girls. The center’s name is a metaphor for the waves of the sea and how, like life, they can roll along peaceful and then at times be unpredictable.

Kerri and her team help clients to envision and achievea better tomorrow, and she often draws from her own experiences as a single mother of two, relating to, and sharing her own personal triumphs with patients. Her spirit and energy motivate and inspire her clients when embarking on their own wellness journeys. Thanks to Kerri’s passion for helping others achieve wellness from within, the Center has attracted a dedicated community of professionals including three licensed clinical social workers, a massage therapist, a registered dietician and certified fitness trainers.

“I’ve worked with a lot of women who have felt locked in their own lives, struggling with healing from past relationships or difficult/traumatic experiences,” says Kerri. “At any age, we canmove forward and make changes for the future. With strength of mind comes strength of body, and at Ocean Waves we offer the services that make both possible by building emotional and physical resilience.”

When you walk through the Center’s doors, a soothing palette of blues, whites and greys create a subdued ambiance. Comfortable furniture, including cozy couches and pillows, offer clients in both individual and group therapies, a quiet and peaceful retreat within a loft setting, free from the busy lives they lead outside its doors. Bright windows look out upon the surrounding trees from inside the facility’s fitness studio, complete with new yoga and TRX strength-training stations. Kerri likes to point out that there are no mirrors in the Center’s fitness areas because a positive self-image is built from within, not by critiquing perceived flaws in a mirror.

Each program is designed to help the individual person and staff is there to mentor at any moment, whether with physical training, soothing tired muscles, helping you create a plan for balanced eating, or just talking out your troubles. It’s all possible at Ocean Waves. Mind, body and soul are healed to reach true wellness from the inside out.

Often, you’ll find Kerri and her team in the fitness studio side-by-side with clients who need the extra motivation and a friend. “It’s not easy to start exercising, even when you know it will make you feel better. Just getting started, that’s what it’s all about at the Center and offering a community that helps you take the first step and remain motivated and focused,” says Kerri.

Clients visit for a wide range of reasons such as overeating, trauma, divorce, and emotional support, just to name a few. The Center’s therapists also specialize in working with kids with ADHD and parenting concerns, prenatal and postnatal issues, and coping with chronic pain/illness.

Kerri also has a way of making the impossible seem possible, even when you’re just talking about dessert. “You can have that cookie. It’s about balancing life and savoring the moment,” says Kerri. And we couldn’t agree more with her.  Savoring life’s special moments (and cookies) sounds like a healthy plan to us. Schedule time to visit Ocean Waves Wellness Center soon and start living your healthier and happier life.

To view the latest events and happenings at Ocean Waves Wellness on Jersey Shore inMotion, click here.

Dr. Kerri Weiss Lazar, Licensed Psychologist, NJ License #4087

Ocean Waves Wellness Center 
1300 Highway 35, Plaza III
Ocean, NJ 07712

Phone: (732) 845-1111

Website: http://www.oceanwaveswellness.com

The Center does take most insurance plans and offers private pay on a sliding scale.

Hours: Classes and therapy sessions are conveniently held on mornings, afternoons and evenings throughout the week including weekends.

Services: Individual & Group Therapy, Therapeutic Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Mother-Daughter Yoga Prenatal Yoga, Ocean Wave Running Club, TRX Strength Club, Movement Therapy, Girls Club, Taste of Wellness Program, Ocean Waves Inside Out Challenge

About TRX: The TRX Suspension Trainer is a set of adjustable straps with handles that is anchored to something sturdy above head level, including a ceiling, wall, tree branch, fence or pole. It gives you a total-body training workout, builds strength and improves flexibility, balance and core stability.

Upcoming Workshops: Mindful Eating for the Holidays, Managing Stress During the Holiday Season, A Taste of Wellness, and The Ocean Waves Inside Out Challenge.