My name is Gretchen Raring, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW—NJ, FL, AZ & ND; LICSW—MA) with over 20 years of experience supporting individuals across diverse settings, including mental health, addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and veteran populations. I earned my Master’s Degree in Social Work from Temple University in Philadelphia and work with teens, adults, older adults, and couples, providing compassionate, client-centered care tailored to each person’s unique needs.
I value a therapeutic relationship grounded in acceptance, authenticity, and collaboration. I work with you, not just for you, blending warmth with practicality. My approach helps you explore your inner world while offering concrete tools and strategies for meaningful, lasting change. I am adaptable, responsive, and skilled at meeting clients exactly where they are, recognizing each person’s unique strengths, needs, and goals. Together, we identify approaches and techniques that support your growth, empowering you to make positive, sustainable changes while deepening your understanding of yourself.
Professional experience
24 yrs in practice
Stress and anxiety Relationship issues Motivation, self esteem, and confidence Depression Coping with life changes
Additional areas of focus:Coping with addictions, Family conflicts, Trauma and abuse, Coping with grief and loss, Intimacy related issues, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Executive and professional coaching, Compassion fatigue, Concentration, memory and focus (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
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Gretchen Raring. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
My first visit went well, I'm looking forward to more. I felt comfortable with her! She acknowledges and understands my concerns and issues which is nice.
Written on Jun 05, 2026 after therapy with Gretchen for 7 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, bipolar disorder, and adhd
Thanks for all the grace and thoughtfulness
Written on Jun 01, 2026 after therapy with Gretchen for 4 months on issues concerning trauma and abuse, grief, self esteem, and coping with life changes
I love my therapist
Written on May 14, 2026 after therapy with Gretchen for 1 year on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, parenting issues, self esteem, compassion fatigue, and adhd
She is a great therapist. Very respectful, knowledgeable, and professional. She is always looking for ways to help you and get to know you to better understand you. Highly recommend
Written on Apr 13, 2026 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, self esteem, anger management, coping with life changes, and adhd
I feel like she really listens and makes me feel like my feelings are valid.
Written on Mar 09, 2026 after therapy with Gretchen for 7 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting issues, self esteem, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue
Excellent , top Therapist on here
Written on Mar 05, 2026 after therapy with Gretchen for 1 year and 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, anger management, career difficulties, coping with life changes, coaching, and adhd
Highly recommend. I’ve been working with Gretchen about 6 months now and she has helped me work through some of the hardest days/week/months of my life. She is understanding, attentive, compassionate and knowledgeable.
Written on Jan 11, 2026 after therapy with Gretchen for 5 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, sleeping disorders, and coping with life changes
Gretchen is a great therapist. Always available, inspirational, and very knowledgeable.
Written on Dec 18, 2025 after therapy with Gretchen for 6 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, self esteem, and anger management
Gretchen is fantastic, very knowledgeable and listens to me. I look forward to talking to her every week
Written on Nov 01, 2025 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, self esteem, anger management, coping with life changes, and adhd
Very very helpful while I’m struggling with divorce
Written on Oct 27, 2025 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning relationship issues, trauma and abuse, and anger management
Gretchen knows how to ask the right questions and she is good at the starting process, starting with introductions and concerns.
Written on Oct 10, 2025 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, parenting issues, self esteem, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and adhd
Very nice and non-judgmental
Written on Jul 15, 2025 after therapy with Gretchen for 5 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, grief, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, anger management, coping with life changes, coaching, and adhd
She is doing an amazing job getting through a hard time.
Written on May 02, 2025 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self esteem, anger management, bipolar disorder, and adhd
Gretchen is very professional. Understands my needs and is very respectful.
Written on Feb 25, 2025 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and self esteem
I cannot recommend Gretchen highly enough as a therapist. From the very first session, I felt an immediate sense of comfort and trust. She creates a safe and non-judgmental space where I feel truly heard and understood. I am incredibly grateful for her support and highly recommend her to anyone seeking a skilled and caring therapist
Written on Jan 18, 2025 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, and self esteem
Gretchen has been a great help in helping me deal with trauma and getting through difficult life events.
Written on Dec 24, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 5 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, grief, self esteem, career difficulties, coping with life changes, and adhd
Gretchen helped me find balance throughout a very dark time, in my personal growth. I really lucked out, finding her on BetterHelp!
Written on Nov 04, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 8 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, self esteem, and adhd
I am still getting to know Gretchen; so far I like her and she is a great listener.
Written on Aug 21, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 4 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, grief, intimacy-related issues, and coping with life changes
So far Gretchen has been great! I haven't been able to engage as much as I'd like due to my schedule. She's very understanding and has been a help with self reflection and things I've been working on.
Written on Jul 11, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 4 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, self esteem, coping with life changes, and adhd
She hears me out. Everything I have to say to express myself she’s just there to hear me out and guide me into things that will help me and to a better path. She’s great she’s a reason why I’m getting through in a good way on what I’m going though. She’s amazing
Written on Jul 06, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, and adhd
Gretchen has been an important support for me. Attentive, responsive and caring.
Written on Jun 22, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 years and 6 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, and self esteem
So far Gretchen has been very kind and supportive - I have only had 2 sessions but she has encouraged me to take classes which I have enjoyed a lot and find so helpful and educational! I feel just making the connection with Betterhelp has gotten me into a better place already. Love the tools, love the class instructors, lots of materials out there for everybody.
Written on Jun 06, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and coping with life changes
Gretchen is an awesome therapist..always listens and is very supportive ❤️
Written on May 29, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 1 year and 10 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, and coping with life changes
She was a great help
Written on Apr 10, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, and coping with life changes
Gretchen is an amazing therapist that specializes is so many different things. She was my first therapist and introduced me into so many different things for my mental health journey. I highly recommend her for her experience and for overall being an amazing person.
Written on Apr 07, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 years and 6 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, family conflicts, and parenting issues
So far, I have no complaints with my therapist. She is very understanding given the amount of information that I’ve dropped on in the first two sessions. She is very warming and welcoming as well.
Written on Feb 26, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, anger management, and adhd
Very empathetic, attentive, and knowledgeable. You're in good hands.
Written on Feb 21, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, parenting issues, career difficulties, coaching, and adhd
Working with Gretchen this past year put me on the path for maintenance rather than needed therapy for crisis mode. She helped me identify and develop the tools to manage my ocd, anxiety and keep from falling into depression. Thank you Gretchen!!
Written on Jan 14, 2024 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 years on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, self esteem, and coping with life changes
I feel very supported and comfortable during my sessions with Gretchen. She’s always go above and beyond and offering resources to help.
Written on Dec 20, 2023 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, and sleeping disorders
Gretchen is a very professional and caring therapist. Known her now for over 2 years.
Not that needed that much time.
But turned to her twice in that time for help
Written on Nov 19, 2023 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 years on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and intimacy-related issues
Gretchen is the absolute best! She is caring, kind, thoughtful & always willing to help! I can’t recommend Gretchen enough for others. She’s a wonderful person to have in your life! :)
Written on Jul 10, 2023 after therapy with Gretchen for 9 months on issues concerning relationship issues, family conflicts, self esteem, and coping with life changes
She is the first therapist I actually stuck with. I have had bad experiences with other therapists on here but she is awesome.
You can count on her to get back to you quickly by messaging and she's right on time for sessions.
She's very empathetic and knowledgeable when it comes to trauma therapy. She is not a short term therapist that will leave you in the middle of your therapeutic journey. I definitely would recommend her to anyone needing therapy.
Written on Mar 12, 2023 after therapy with Gretchen for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, self esteem, career difficulties, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue
I worked with Gretchen briefly. She responded to messages timely and shared articles that addressed my panic attacks. It helped me manage my panic attacks effectively. She listened carefully and were very empathetic during our live sessions. I appreciate her help and would highly recommend her to others.
Written on Mar 01, 2023 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, and intimacy-related issues
I like how she makes me feel comfortable, helps me be more open and expressive about my thoughts. Thank you Gretchen!
Written on Feb 02, 2023 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, and intimacy-related issues
I really enjoyed working with Gretchen. She takes the time to under her clients’ experiences through their perspective. She is very easy to talk to and does a wonderful job creating a comfortable therapeutic environment. Highly recommend!
Written on Jan 31, 2023 after therapy with Gretchen for 5 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, self esteem, career difficulties, coping with life changes, and coaching
Gretchen is great! She is very empathetic and down to earth. I always look forward to my sessions with her.
Written on Jan 15, 2023 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes
Gretchen helped me find the words to talk to my husband when I didn’t know how to express how I was feeling. With her guidance and suggestions I was able to get conversations going with him that I hadn’t had in 15 years together. She is easy to talk to and feels like a friend. I enjoyed getting to know her!
Written on Jan 13, 2023 after therapy with Gretchen for 4 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, parenting issues, and self esteem
I love getting to know Gretchen and I feel like when we talk and connect, it feels like I’m talking to a friend. I have such a hard time opening up since I deal with anxiety but it’s so easy when it comes to talking to Gretchen ❤️
Written on Dec 24, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, self esteem, coping with life changes, and adhd
There is no simple way to explain how instrumental a part Gretchen has played during the last year. She has helped me refocus on myself and f cf support system. I started better help on a whim, with no expectations, and originally paired with another therapist. I switched to Gretchen within a week and have been meeting with her since mid-April weekly. She
Written on Oct 21, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 6 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, and self esteem
Listens
Written on Sep 26, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning self esteem, career difficulties, coping with life changes, coaching, and adhd
Always great talking to you
Written on Sep 12, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 8 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, coping with life changes, and adhd
Since the first message, talking to Gretchen has felt like talking to a close friend. Her welcoming demeanor over both text and video has made all the difference in how I feel going into a session. Be it rambling on about how my week went, or delving into deeply rooted personal hurdles, she always not only made me feel heard in the moment, but also gave amazing professional insight where I needed it. You can feel how much she cares about and is genuinely interested in your thoughts and day-to-day life. She is also very flexible with her counseling styles and schedule. Gretchen is always prompt to respond, and also checks up on you during the week. She is undeniably the best therapist I have ever had. Thank you so much Gretchen!! You are amazing!
Written on Sep 10, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, and self esteem
Gretchen is absolutely wonderful, she listens, she is supportive, and she makes herself available. I feel very lucky to be able to work with her.
Written on Jul 18, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, and adhd
She thoroughly listens and offers me a variety of ways to mitigate conflict in the most sensitive and efficient manner
Written on Jun 01, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 7 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, career difficulties, and compassion fatigue
She’s the best
Written on Apr 24, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes
Gretchen has been a great listener for me and is able to understand and empathize with my concerns. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a therapist!
Written on Feb 18, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, self esteem, coping with life changes, and adhd
Gretchen is a great conversationalist, who knows how to talk about sensitive issues and make patients feel less self-conscious. I am glad to be working with her.
Written on Feb 02, 2022 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, grief, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, and coaching
Gretchen has been a great help for me.
Written on Dec 16, 2021 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, career difficulties, coaching, and adhd
I'm only a few sessions in, but i really like her so far. She has a great sense of humor, and i feel very comfortable talking to her. She answers all my questions and sends me follow up information which i really like.
Written on Dec 15, 2021 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, self esteem, and adhd
Gretchen is amazing!
Written on Nov 30, 2021 after therapy with Gretchen for 4 weeks on issues concerning self esteem, relationship issues, and family conflicts
She is helping me build my confidence in a way I never thought I could do on my own. A pleasure to speak to.
Written on Nov 30, 2021 after therapy with Gretchen for 3 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, depression, self esteem, relationship issues, family conflicts, and coping with life changes
I would like to thank Gretchen for how caring she is during a hard time in my life.
Written on Nov 26, 2021 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety
Awesome help. I recommend to everyone that are going through harsh times.
Written on Oct 24, 2021 after therapy with Gretchen for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, parenting issues, anger management, career difficulties, and coping with life changes
Gretchen has been of great help, I felt the benefits of talking with her from our very first session. She is helping me put mechanisms in place that will alleviate my stress, boost my confidence and overall make me feel comfortable in my own skin. Thank you.
Written on Oct 12, 2021 after therapy with Gretchen for 2 weeks on issues concerning family conflicts, and self esteem
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