- Warm collaborative style
- Skills for real life
- Focus on relationships
About Gretchen
Gretchen Raring is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW, LCSW) with 24 years of experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, career questions, relationship and intimacy concerns, and struggles with addiction or grief. Her style is warm and practical, and she aims to meet people where they are.
Gretchen draws on client-centered methods that focus on each person's strengths. She combines that with approaches that teach skills for managing thoughts and emotions. Sessions are collaborative - she works alongside clients to set goals and try tools that fit real life.
Her background includes work in mental health, addiction services, homelessness, incarceration settings, and with veterans. That variety shaped a flexible approach to common problems like sleep difficulties, caregiver stress, and chronic illness concerns. She also supports people dealing with trauma, dissociation, and mood issues such as bipolar disorder.
Gretchen uses techniques from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people clarify values and change unhelpful patterns. She also draws on attachment-based and emotionally-focused ideas to address relationship and intimacy difficulties. Mindfulness and client-centered listening are part of her toolkit.
Clients can expect a balance of emotional support and practical steps. Gretchen helps people build coping skills, improve communication, and navigate major life transitions. Her approach emphasizes steady progress and learning tools that carry into everyday life.
Gretchen draws on client-centered methods that focus on each person's strengths. She combines that with approaches that teach skills for managing thoughts and emotions. Sessions are collaborative - she works alongside clients to set goals and try tools that fit real life.
Her background includes work in mental health, addiction services, homelessness, incarceration settings, and with veterans. That variety shaped a flexible approach to common problems like sleep difficulties, caregiver stress, and chronic illness concerns. She also supports people dealing with trauma, dissociation, and mood issues such as bipolar disorder.
Gretchen uses techniques from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people clarify values and change unhelpful patterns. She also draws on attachment-based and emotionally-focused ideas to address relationship and intimacy difficulties. Mindfulness and client-centered listening are part of her toolkit.
Clients can expect a balance of emotional support and practical steps. Gretchen helps people build coping skills, improve communication, and navigate major life transitions. Her approach emphasizes steady progress and learning tools that carry into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexualityWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapySystemic Therapy
Experience
24+ years
Credentials
New Jersey, Florida, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Arizona
Languages
English
How her approaches guide online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take action even when thoughts or feelings feel difficult. It focuses on committed steps toward what matters, which can help with anxiety, depression, and career changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thinking and behavior and teaches concrete skills to change unhelpful habits and manage mood or sleep problems. Attachment-Based Therapy pays attention to how early and current relationships shape feelings and behavior, useful for intimacy and relationship concerns.Finding the right approach is part of therapy. Gretchen works collaboratively to pick methods that match a person's goals and preferences. She adjusts techniques as progress unfolds, so sessions can shift between skills practice, exploration of emotions, and relationship work as needed.
Practical benefits of online therapy include easier scheduling and fitting sessions into a workday or caregiving routine. Online work can make shorter check-ins or regular weekly sessions simpler to keep. Session formats are not listed here, so confirm current options before booking to be sure they fit your needs.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, career questions, relationship and intimacy issues, addictions, grief, sleep problems, parenting strain, and many other life concerns.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style blends client-centered listening with practical strategies. She partners with people to set goals and practice tools that fit everyday life.
How much experience does she have?
Gretchen has 24 years of experience across mental health, addiction services, homelessness, incarceration settings, and work with veterans.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds MA LICSW and ND LCSW credentials and sees people based in New Jersey.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Session formats are not specified here; please confirm current session options with the platform before booking.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.