mEET THE staff
SHARON WILKENING, LPC, LCAS, LMHC, CCS (OWNER AND CLINICAL DIRECTOR)
Sharon received her undergraduate degree from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1998 after completing an internship at Georgetown Law. Sharon worked in federal law enforcement from 1998-2002 while obtaining her MA in Forensic Psychology from Marymount University. Upon completion of her MA, Sharon moved to NY and began working at Lewis County Community Mental Health Center running a youth diversion program for teens involved in the criminal justice system and struggling with a mental health concern.
In 2003, Sharon began working as a full-time therapist and soon after she started in private practice working with depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma, domestic violence, and substance use disorder.
In 2016, Sharon and her family moved to North Carolina and she began work as the Director of Clinical Outreach for a Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Treatment Center. In 2019, Sharon opened her private practice, Cambrio Counseling.
Sharon has over 18 years in the field of mental health and substance use disorder treatment. She offers a non-judgmental and unbiased perspective, always meeting clients where they are and offers individualized treatment plans. She utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, EMDR, mindfulness education, solutions-focused therapy, strength-based therapy, and motivational interviewing skills to offer the most comprehensive therapeutic experience.
Sharon works with individuals, couples and groups.
Duncan (the dog) is an added bonus and he is very had working!
Please reach out for a free phone consultation to discuss how Cambrio Counseling can help you or your loved one.
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BRITTANI PROCKNOW, LCSW, LCASA (THERAPIST)
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After earning a Master of Social Work degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Brittani relocated to Raleigh and began practicing clinical social work. She has experience in providing intensive in-home family therapy services, inpatient detox/crisis stabilization, intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment, as well as individual therapy. Her specialties include substance use disorders, trauma, emotional health and wellness, life transitions, and family therapy. This is what Brittani has to share about her therapeutic perspective: You have qualities that only you can bring to the world. Are you ready to create the life you want and fulfill your purpose? Thoughts of being inadequate, fear of failure, and rejection can result in feeling lost in life. You may begin to feel stuck and believe better days are out of reach. You want deeper relationships, a more fulfilling career, and adapt your lifestyle to live optimally. When you want to make changes, it is helpful to have an empathic person to empower you. I am passionate about helping people reach their full potential by addressing emotional and mental health, physical functioning, spirituality, and relationships. Working together we will enhance effective communication skills, reduce anxiety and stress, and build confidence to live the life you've imagined. You'll find a nonjudgmental empathic environment while we work together. A deep understanding of who you are and what you currently struggling with is essential to building your desired life and meaningful relationships. I am accepting new clients and have evening and weekend availability. Fees: Brittani currently bills In Network for Blue Cross Blue Shield and Out of Network for all for all other insurances. Brittani has a reasonable self-pay fee of $85 per 55 minute sessions. 
AMANDA TUCKER, LCMHC (THERAPIST) Amanda received her Masters in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University in Atlanta, Georgia in 2010. She recently moved to the Raleigh area and is continuing her clinical work as a Licensed Professional Counselor. Amanda’s clinical experience includes inpatient crisis stabilization/substance abuse detox, treatment of depression, anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders, and relationship conflicts. Amanda utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and many other modalities with her clients. Amanda works with clients 18 and up. This is what Amanda has to say about her therapeutic approach: I believe in a holistic approach to health and wellness. Your emotional and mental health is just as important your physical and spiritual health. I believe that one’s mindset can propel us towards our goals or it can create obstacles that get in the way of our goals. Let’s take this opportunity to work together to overcome obstacles in your life that can get in the way of living your best life and having the relationships you desire. Fee: Amanda is In Network with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna. She bills Out of Network for all other Insurances. She has a reasonable self-pay rate of $85 for a 55 minute session. Amanda has evening and weekend availability. 
Sarah Lotchin, LCSW (Therapist) Sarah received her undergraduate degree in 1996 from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She obtained her MSW in 1998 at Syracuse University. Sarah has been working as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for over 20 years in a variety of settings across the east coast. During this time, she has been working closely with children and families in milieu and residential treatment settings, schools, hospitals, and military establishments. Sarah specializes in treating eating disorders, trauma, military deployment and adoption issues. She utilizes solution-focused therapy, family-based treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy to meet the comprehensive needs of her clients. Sarah’s approach to working with clients is relationship driven. She meets clients where they are in their journey and supports and encourages change through empathetic listening and strength-based interventions in order to achieve realistic and meaningful goals. Sarah is currently seeing children ages 4-17, adults, couples and/or families. She is scheduling for weekdays with weekend appointments available. Fee: Sarah is in Network with Blue Cross Blue Shield and has a low self-pay rate of $85. |
KRISTI FRENCH, LCMHC (THERAPIST)
Kristi started out as a people person! Even before she was a counselor she found herself in jobs geared toward understanding people and empowering them to be great.
Helping adolescents find their true selves beyond anxiety and depression is a passion for Kristi, as is assisting teens with their social skill development in a world that has replaced face to face human interaction with screens.
But How?
Her approach to counseling is tailored to each individual client. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a mode of treatment originally designed to treat trauma but has now been found as effective for most mental health issues.
Helping clients find peace, happiness, and reaching their goals is her focus, using a variety of resources including laughter, mindfulness, education, and understanding.
A Little Bit About Kristi
Kristi has a long work history in human resources and recruitment, specializing in recruiting nurses and medical staff. She even made it into some nursing magazines and spoke at graduation for Mercy School of Nursing.
After 16 years in that role, she decided to pursue her original desire to work in the mental health field and completed her Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling with Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2014. During her educational program, Kristi completed her internship and practicum in a day treatment program for at-risk youth.
During her time working with day treatment clients, Kristi gained invaluable experience working with children with an array of mental health issues from Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Depression, to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). While Kristi has also worked in outpatient settings with adults, adolescents, and children, she has found that she most loves to work primarily with adolescents ages 12+, families, and young adults.
Kristi has been married for over 20 years to her college sweetheart and is the proud parent of a teen girl. When not helping clients, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and two dogs as well as reading and traveling.
Kristi started out as a people person! Even before she was a counselor she found herself in jobs geared toward understanding people and empowering them to be great.
Helping adolescents find their true selves beyond anxiety and depression is a passion for Kristi, as is assisting teens with their social skill development in a world that has replaced face to face human interaction with screens.
But How?
Her approach to counseling is tailored to each individual client. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a mode of treatment originally designed to treat trauma but has now been found as effective for most mental health issues.
Helping clients find peace, happiness, and reaching their goals is her focus, using a variety of resources including laughter, mindfulness, education, and understanding.
A Little Bit About Kristi
Kristi has a long work history in human resources and recruitment, specializing in recruiting nurses and medical staff. She even made it into some nursing magazines and spoke at graduation for Mercy School of Nursing.
After 16 years in that role, she decided to pursue her original desire to work in the mental health field and completed her Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling with Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2014. During her educational program, Kristi completed her internship and practicum in a day treatment program for at-risk youth.
During her time working with day treatment clients, Kristi gained invaluable experience working with children with an array of mental health issues from Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Depression, to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). While Kristi has also worked in outpatient settings with adults, adolescents, and children, she has found that she most loves to work primarily with adolescents ages 12+, families, and young adults.
Kristi has been married for over 20 years to her college sweetheart and is the proud parent of a teen girl. When not helping clients, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and two dogs as well as reading and traveling.
Therapy: Fact or Fiction?
Over my 16+ years in practice, I have heard various misconceptions regarding therapy and counseling. There are many reasons why some people are reluctant to seek help when they are struggling with difficult emotions or life transitions. Many of those reasons are based on misinformation. Let’s go ahead and “fact-check” the inaccurate information that causes people to be hesitant to seek therapy.
Fact or Fiction #1: Therapy is for people with “serious” issues. Only “crazy” people go to therapy.
Fiction! Some people believe that you must be diagnosed with a psychological disorder or be struggling profoundly in order to seek therapy. Far too often, people wait until things are REALLY BAD to seek help. It is kind of like waiting until your physical health is REALLY BAD to go to the doctor. Physical and emotional health issues become more difficult to treat the longer someone waits. Emotional concerns that have been allowed to go untreated for long periods of time create a longer treatment and recovery process for the client. Often, concerns that could have been easily resolved in a few sessions, will take much longer when someone waits to seek help.
People have varied reasons for seeing a therapist including relationships concerns, loss or grief, stress, depression, anxiety, or life transitions. Many times, the primary issue is situational. It is important to understand that stress is stress, whether it is good or bad. For instance, getting married, losing a job, getting a new job, having a baby, moving, or graduating are stressful life transitions that can be complicated to navigate alone. This area also life events that many people don’t feel warrant professional help. There is no shame in wanting to feel better, do better, or be better. The healthiest people are those that can identify the aspects of themselves that they need to work on in order to lead a healthier, happier life.
Fact or Fiction #3: How can therapy actual work? They just listen to all my problems.
Fiction!: Although most therapists are good listeners, very supportive, and empathetic, they also challenge and educate clients. Most therapists assign homework tasks to work on achievable goals Therapy can be uncomfortable at times and it should be. Remaining in a comfort zone is often what creates issues for a client. Comfortable doesn’t always mean good. Therapy takes WORK and PRACTICE. Think of it like training for a marathon. Not many people can go out and run a marathon. You have train for it. Finding emotional balance takes time, training, patience and practice.
Fact or Fiction #4: Therapists are all about the money. It is too expensive.
Fiction! Most therapists go into this line of work due to personal life experiences and a deep desire to help. Therapists genuinely care about helping others make signficant changes in their lives. If they had a desire to be wealthy, they would have found another line of work. Understanding and accepting the cost of therapy comes down to each individual’s perspective related to the things they value in their lives. Emotional, spiritual, and physical health can all be improved through therapy.
Fact or Fiction #5: Therapy is unnecessary when you can just talk to good friends.
Fiction!: When someone is struggling, support from friends and family is vital. Friends and family can offer wisdom and support during difficult times, but therapy differs from the support of a loved one in many ways.
First, therapists are highly trained professionals who have devoted many years of education and practice to learning how to treat individuals challenged with various emotional or relational difficulties.
Second, when sharing with friends or family, often we hold back for fear of judgement or shame. The therapeutic relationship is one built on trust, respect, and vulnerability. Because your therapist is separate from your everyday life, they can offer an unbiased, non-judgmental perspective.
Finally, Friends and family are not legally bound “secret-keepers”. Therapy is confidential. Licensed mental health professionals are legally and ethically bound to protect client privacy. Nothing that is said in counseling can be released to anyone without written consent. The U.S. Supreme court has ruled that the confidential relationship between a psychotherapist and a client is privileged. To learn more, see http://www.apa.org/about/offices/ogc/amicus/jaffee.aspx
The only times confidentiality can be broken are for the reasons below, which apply to every client/patient.
· A suspected incident of child abuse or neglect must be reported.
· A threat of imminent physical harm by a patient must be reported to law enforcement and to the person(s) threatened.
· A mental health evaluation must be initiated for a patient who is imminently dangerous to self or to others, or who is gravely disabled, as a result of a mental disorder.
· A suspected threat to national security must be reported to federal officials.
Fact or Fiction #6: People who go to therapy are weak.
Fiction! Let’s just start by saying that everyone struggles at some point in their lives. No one escapes that burden. The strongest people can acknowledge that and ask for help. Unfortunately, too many view having emotional or relational concerns as a moral failing or character flaw. Some individuals have learned to internalize emotions and feelings because they feel judged, weak, or insignificant. Many participate in unhealthy coping behaviors such as alcohol and substance use, gambling, poor eating habits, excessive spending, or isolation to be able tolerate these emotions. However, these unhealthy coping mechanisms only exacerbate the issues and create new ones. Seeking professional help is a STRENGTH, not a weakness.
Fact or Fiction #7: My job will find out and I will lose my job.
Fiction! Therapy is confidential unless the circumstances outlined in #5 are in play. Unless a consent for a release of information is signed, medical records remain confidential. Many therapists offer a cash option to allow clients to not use their insurance, if they choose.
Fact or Fiction #8: There is nothing we can do about the past.
Fiction! Although the past cannot be changed, clients can work to understand, learn and grow from those experiences. Events from our past are what create the lens in which we view the world through. If a client cannot understand why they have certain thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, negative experiences will continue to occur. Clients work to get to a place of acceptance of their past life experiences. Once there is acceptance, there is the ability to make changes.
Fact or Fiction #9: Medication is enough. I don’t need therapy.
Fiction! Medication is very helpful for many people struggling with biochemical concerns such as depression, anxiety, or mood disorders. However, there are other aspects of a client’s behaviors that make therapy AND medication the most effective treatment option. Research has shown that medication when combined with therapy has the best long-term treatment outcomes.
Finally, it is important to remember that the therapeutic relationship is vital to the success of therapy. Finding the right fit with a therapist can sometimes prove difficult. That does not mean that therapy doesn’t work. Therapists are trained to address these concerns, without judgement, and work to find the right fit for every client.
INSURANCE AND PAYMENT OPTIONS
Cambrio Counseling is in Network with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna. All other insurances are billed out of network.
Claims are filed by the practice for out of network insurances.
55 minute individual or couples session is $85 self pay
Groups are $40-60 per group
Claims are filed by the practice for out of network insurances.
55 minute individual or couples session is $85 self pay
Groups are $40-60 per group
How Can We Help?
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