Gretchen Raley, LMHC

About me

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida, a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas, a Registered Play Therapist and an EMDR Certified Therapist. My 17 years of counseling experience has included working in public and private schools, community mental health, outreach, and private practice. I believe that engaging the whole person in therapy - body, brain, and heart - brings more complete healing than talk therapy alone. Therefore, I predominantly use expressive arts, EMDR, and play therapy, combined with cognitive-behavioral strategies, through a neurobiological lens to address clients’ needs and help them heal. I aim to meet clients where they are and pursue the goals that are important to them. I also believe in addressing issues from a family systems perspective, improving relational dynamics and communication and helping clients and their families see their strengths and assets more clearly. 

I have experience helping clients address a number of issues, including anxiety, depression, grief, parenting issues, oppositional-defiance, ADHD, divorce, bullying, low self-esteem, self-injury, abuse, relationship issues, and trauma. I have been trained in multiple modalities of therapy, including play therapy, sand tray therapy, expressive arts therapy, EMDR, DBT, and others. I have also completed training through the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the treatment of pediatric OCD.

For several years I wrote a monthly column in Parenting Teens magazine called "Trending Topics" on teen issues from a counselor's perspective. I hold a Master of Arts in Counseling degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and I enjoy helping families from all walks of life, not just those who express Christian faith. I also studied music seriously, having earned a Master of Music in Piano Accompanying from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I enjoy music, writing, photography, hiking, good coffee, and spending time with my husband and son. 

If you or your family is struggling, it would be my privilege to meet you and walk this journey with you.