Profile / United States
Gretchen Raring, LICSW, LCSW
New Jersey
LICSW LCSW - Stress and Relationships
See online therapy options- CBT based methods
- ACT and attachment work
- Skills and homework
About Gretchen
Gretchen Raring is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 24 years of experience. She practices in New Jersey and helps people with stress, anxiety, relationships, self-esteem, depression, and coping with life changes. She also works with concerns like addiction, grief, trauma and abuse, sleep problems, parenting strain, and ADHD.
Gretchen’s approach is practical and direct. She uses clear techniques to notice unhelpful thoughts and habits and to try different responses. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) informs much of her work, alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and attachment-focused methods. Sessions mix conversation with concrete exercises and skills practice.
She draws on broad experience across mental health, addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and veteran settings. That background shapes how she hears complex problems and finds straightforward next steps. Clients explore patterns, identify small experiments, and build routines that fit daily life.
Gretchen centers collaboration. She talks with people about goals and makes plans that can be adjusted over time. The work includes emotional understanding paired with practical tools for managing situations, reactions, and relationships.
Her practice addresses both immediate coping and longer-term patterns. Typical sessions may cover communication skills, managing mood shifts, relapse prevention, boundary-setting, and strategies to improve sleep and focus. People leave with actions to try between sessions and ways to measure what’s changing.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Gretchen often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice thoughts and test different responses. CBT focuses on clear steps - identifying a thought, testing its accuracy, and trying a new behavior - which works well in short skill-focused sessions.She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which helps people clarify values and take action even with difficult feelings. Attachment-based methods are used when relationship patterns and emotional bonds are the main concerns; these approaches look at how past patterns affect current connections.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Gretchen will discuss goals and preferences to decide which methods to try first and will adjust the plan as progress is tracked. This is a collaborative process focused on practical steps and measurable changes.
Confirm the current session formats before booking. Sessions are designed to fit into everyday life so people can practice skills between meetings. Online work can make it easier to schedule shorter check-ins, reduce travel time, and keep therapy consistent with a busy routine. Licensed professionals can tailor homework, communication style, and pacing to how someone prefers to work online.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
24+ years
Listed in
New Jersey, Florida, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Arizona
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with most often?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and self-esteem issues, depression, and coping with life changes. Her practice also covers addiction, trauma and abuse, grief, sleep problems, parenting strain, and ADHD.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is practical and collaborative, combining talk with concrete tools. Sessions involve identifying unhelpful thoughts and trying alternative responses.
What is her background and experience?
She has 24 years of clinical experience across mental health, addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and veteran settings. That range informs how she approaches complex cases.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She holds MA LICSW and ND LCSW credentials and practices in New Jersey.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How does pricing work?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.