Gretchen Shay , LCSW, LICSW

Gretchen Shay is a licensed social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, relationship strain, grief, and eating concerns. She brings 14 years of clinical experience and a straightforward, compassionate approach. Gretchen works from Alabama and holds licenses in Illinois (LCSW) and Alabama (LICSW).

Her sessions are conversational and practical. She listens first to understand what matters most, then helps clients set small, usable goals. She focuses on what someone can try between sessions to build momentum and reduce overwhelm.

Gretchen adapts her approach to each person. She draws on client-centered methods to keep the conversation grounded in the person’s experience. She uses cognitive behavioral tools to spot unhelpful thinking and try different behaviors.

She also integrates emotionally-focused techniques to address attachment and relationship patterns, plus motivational interviewing when people want help changing habits linked to substance use or other addictions. Narrative ideas are used to help people reframe their stories and find new meaning after loss or major life transitions.

People seeking help for parenting strain, family conflict, body image or cancer-related stress will find care that aims to be respectful and down-to-earth. Sessions emphasize clear steps, honest listening, and gradual progress tailored to each person’s pace.

How therapeutic approaches fit online

Client-Centered Therapy centers the person’s perspective and values the client’s own goals; in practice this means sessions focus on listening, reflecting feelings, and shaping goals that feel manageable. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and uses small experiments and skill practice to change them; it is helpful for anxiety, depression, and low mood. Emotionally-Focused Therapy, or EFT, works with patterns in close relationships and with attachment needs to help people change how they respond to one another and to their own emotions.

Deciding which approach to use is collaborative. The therapist will talk with the client about what they want to change, what has or hasn’t helped before, and what feels doable. Together they try approaches that match goals and adjust as needed over time rather than sticking to one method rigidly.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls are useful for a face-to-face conversation and working through exercises. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is low or for a check-in during a work break. Live chat and text-based messaging let people send brief updates, ask questions between sessions, or use written reflection when typing feels more comfortable. These options make it simpler to fit therapy into a busy life and keep momentum between appointments.