Gretchen Raring, LICSW, LCSW

New Jersey · 24 years in practice

Gretchen Raring is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Social Worker who brings 24 years of experience to therapy.

License and registration

LCSW, New Jersey: 44SC05318800 · expires August 2026
LCSW, Florida: SW15156 · expires March 2027
LICSW, Massachusetts: LICSW124622 · expires April 2028
LCSW, North Dakota: 6418 · expires December 2027
LCSW, Arizona: LCSW-21898 · expires October 2027
NPI: 1194878371 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 24
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.

About Gretchen

Gretchen Raring is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Social Worker who brings 24 years of experience to therapy. She offers a calm, practical presence and focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy concerns, and life transitions. Sessions are presented with warmth and straightforward guidance to help people take small, useful steps forward.

Gretchen uses emotionally focused ideas to help people untangle patterns in close relationships and to increase emotional connection.

Background and approach

She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and attachment-based thinking to help people notice what matters most and make decisions that match their values. Cognitive behavioral ideas are used when people want concrete strategies to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Her background includes work in mental health, addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and with veterans.

That range shaped a practical style that balances compassion with real tools. Gretchen aims to meet each person where they are and tailor the pace and techniques to their needs. She speaks English and practices from New Jersey.

Sessions are offered in several online formats, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Costs vary by location and use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. To begin, a person completes a short matching questionnaire and schedules a first session based on the therapist's availability.

The initial steps focus on understanding what the person wants to change and agreeing on clear, manageable goals.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Gretchen lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

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 names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How emotional work and practical tools translate online

Gretchen often integrates Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help people name and shift the emotional patterns that shape relationships. EFT focuses on emotions and connection, and it can be useful for intimacy struggles and improving how people respond to one another. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is also part of her toolkit; ACT helps people notice thoughts and feelings, clarify values, and take committed action toward a meaningful life.

Finding the right approach is a shared process. Gretchen collaborates with each person to choose methods based on their goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful in the first sessions. She checks in regularly and adapts the plan as needs change so the work stays relevant and practical.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video suits conversations that benefit from facial cues, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or text messaging can support quick check-ins, shorter follow-ups, or ongoing coaching between longer sessions. These options help people fit therapy into busy schedules and keep progress moving forward.

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Questions people ask

What concerns does Gretchen commonly help with?

She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship or intimacy issues, coping with life changes, grief, trauma and abuse, addiction concerns, sleep problems, parenting strain, anger, career questions, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and related challenges.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style blends emotional focus with practical tools. Sessions aim to deepen emotional understanding while offering concrete strategies for changing thoughts and behaviors.

What kind of experience does she bring?

Gretchen has 24 years of experience working across mental health, addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and veteran settings, which informs a flexible and practical approach.

What credentials and location are listed?

She holds MA LICSW and ND LCSW credentials and practices from New Jersey.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

Therapy is available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.

How are sessions priced?

Cost varies with location and the therapist's availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to the therapist's availability.

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