Gretchen Shay, LCSW, LICSW

Gretchen Shay is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, parenting strain, and the challenges of living with health problems. She brings 14 years of experience and works with concerns like depression, relationship struggles, eating and body image issues, trauma, and compassion fatigue. Gretchen holds LCSW and LICSW credentials and practices from Alabama while also licensed in Illinois.

Her style is warm, interactive, and respectful. She avoids stigmatizing labels and focuses on clear, practical conversation. Sessions aim to be collaborative, with the therapist and client shaping goals together.

Gretchen uses several practical approaches to guide her work. Cognitive behavioral techniques may help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. Emotionally focused ideas support understanding and managing strong feelings. Client-centered work emphasizes the person’s own goals and pace.

She has experience supporting people through medical diagnoses and the needs of caregivers, from diagnosis through grief and loss. That background informs how she addresses co-morbidity, chronic illness, and the stress those situations create.

In sessions she combines conversational guidance, goal-setting, and coping strategies tailored to each person. The plan evolves as needs change, with attention to attachment, family patterns, and practical steps for daily life. If someone wants to start, Gretchen guides the intake and scheduling process so therapy fits into their routine.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Gretchen commonly uses client-centered work, cognitive behavioral therapy, and emotionally focused ideas in sessions. Client-centered therapy means the conversation follows the person’s priorities and pace, which helps when navigating health challenges or caregiving stress. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms. Emotionally focused ideas help name and work with strong feelings, which can be useful after loss or during relationship strain.

Choosing the right approach is part of the process and happens together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has helped or not helped in the past. From that discussion the plan is shaped and adjusted over time so it fits current needs.

Confirm the exact session options before booking, as formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, such as shorter check-ins during a work break or audio-only meetings when bandwidth is limited. It also allows consistent follow-up when living with ongoing medical conditions or caregiving demands. Licensed professionals can help arrange schedules and approaches to match each person's day-to-day reality.