Gretchen Shay, LCSW, LICSW

How Gretchen’s approaches fit into online therapy

Client-centered therapy focuses on building trust and understanding. The therapist follows each person’s lead, reflecting feelings and priorities so people feel heard and respected. This approach is useful when someone needs a safe space to sort through emotions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors and tests them against reality. It uses simple exercises and homework to change unhelpful patterns, which can help with anxiety, low mood, and stress management.

Emotionally-Focused Therapy concentrates on identifying and working with strong emotions that drive reactions. It helps people understand attachment needs and repair painful interaction patterns, which can be valuable for relationship and attachment-related concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels most useful. Decisions about methods are collaborative and can change as progress is made.

Online sessions through video calls, phone, live chat, or text messaging make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video is helpful for face-to-face interaction and visual cues. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when being on camera is not desired. Live chat and text-based messaging offer shorter check-ins and ongoing connection between full sessions. These options provide flexibility to match scheduling, comfort, and practical needs.