Works with
- Anger
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
How Gretchen works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LICSW, LCSW
- Licensed in
- New Jersey, Florida, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Arizona
- Years in practice
- 24
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Gretchen
Gretchen Raring is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 24 years of professional experience. She focuses on helping people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anger, anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Gretchen aims to create a calm, straightforward space where clients can talk and find practical ways forward.
She uses simple, relatable tools rather than jargon. Sessions combine talking through feelings with hands-on strategies for coping and behavior change.
Background and approach
Gretchen emphasizes collaboration - she works with each person to set realistic goals and choose helpful techniques. Her background includes supporting people affected by addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and the needs of veterans. That variety has shaped a flexible approach that adapts to different life stories and challenges.
She pays attention to practical barriers and day-to-day stresses that get in the way of progress. Therapy sessions balance emotional work and skill-building. Techniques draw on acceptance-based methods, attachment ideas, cognitive approaches, and emotion-focused work to address patterns like avoidance, codependency, and communication difficulties.
The aim is to reduce reactivity and improve relationships with oneself and others. Gretchen practices in New Jersey and works in English. She helps people who want down-to-earth support for issues such as parenting strain, career stress, grief, chronic pain, ADHD, and intimacy concerns.
Her style is warm, direct, and focused on achievable change.
What Gretchen works with
Everything Gretchen lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Gretchen's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Gretchen lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Systemic Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approach-focused care through online therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then take action that matches their values. It can be useful for managing anger, anxiety, and life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns, which is helpful for anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. Emotionally-Focused Therapy focuses on identifying and shifting emotion-driven patterns, supporting improvements in intimacy and relationship-related issues.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to pick methods that match their goals, preferences, and day-to-day needs. That process can include trying different techniques and adjusting the plan as progress is made.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs. Video calls work well for in-depth conversations and visual cues. Phone sessions can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Chat and messaging support quick reflections, homework check-ins, or ongoing support between live sessions. These options make it easier to access consistent care while balancing work, family, and other responsibilities.
Questions people ask about Gretchen
What concerns does she commonly address?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, anger, depression, relationship and intimacy concerns, grief, addictions, parenting strain, ADHD, and coping with life changes.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is warm, collaborative, and practical. Sessions mix emotional exploration with concrete skills to manage reactions and improve daily functioning.
What is her professional background?
She has 24 years of experience working in settings that include mental health, addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and veteran services.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds MA LICSW and ND LCSW credentials and practices in New Jersey.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are offered?
Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.