Gretchen Raring , LICSW, LCSW

Gretchen Raring is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 24 years of experience. She focuses on issues many women face, including stress, anxiety, relationship and self-esteem concerns, and life transitions. Her tone is warm and practical, aiming to help people find steady ways forward.

Gretchen blends straightforward conversation with hands-on tools. Sessions often include learning skills to manage mood, reduce worry, or rebuild trust after hurt. She uses approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help clients change unhelpful patterns and strengthen relationships.

Her background includes work in mental health, addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and with veterans. That variety shaped a flexible style that adapts to different life stories. She meets people where they are and focuses on realistic steps that fit daily life.

Gretchen emphasizes collaboration. She invites people to name goals, test ideas, and adjust plans when needed. Therapy can mix short-term coping skills with deeper work on attachment, meaning, or grief depending on what someone needs.

Sessions are offered from New Jersey and use formats such as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. She communicates in English and works with adults across a broad range of concerns, including parenting stress, burnout, addiction recovery, grief, and ADHD.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Gretchen uses methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Attachment-Based Therapy to guide online work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice how thoughts and behaviors keep problems going and teaches practical steps to change those patterns, which can help with anxiety, depression, sleep, and coping skills. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how past and current close relationships shape feelings and behavior and can be useful for intimacy struggles, relationship conflict, and healing from abandonment or loss.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Gretchen works together with clients to choose which methods fit their goals and preferences. That collaboration means techniques can be adjusted over time so the work stays relevant and useful.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation for deeper emotional work. Phone sessions are a good option when bandwidth is limited or a session needs to fit a short break. Live chat and text-based messaging support brief check-ins, ongoing coaching-style support, or people who prefer writing to speaking. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life while keeping focus on progress and practical change.