DW Portrait of Darlene Wilken

Darlene Wilken, LPC, LPC-MHSP

Practical, compassionate care for anxiety and addiction

8 years in practice · based in Tennessee · sessions in English · online sessions

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About Darlene

Darlene Wilken is a licensed professional counselor who has spent years helping people navigate addiction and mental health concerns. She holds LPC and LPC-MHSP credentials and practices from Tennessee. Her background includes work in inpatient treatment and a methadone clinic, where she has supported adults facing opioid dependence alongside mood and anxiety concerns.

Her practice focuses on concrete, day-to-day coping skills. She uses short-term strategies and practical tools to reduce anxiety, manage stress, and address cravings.

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Background and approach

Sessions are conversational and collaborative so clients can apply what they learn between appointments. She draws on several approaches to build a plan that fits each person. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and change behaviors.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy offers skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance. Mindfulness practices bring attention to the present moment and reduce reactivity. Darlene also uses motivational interviewing when people are weighing change.

That approach helps uncover personal reasons for change and builds motivation at a comfortable pace. She pairs this with client-centered and solution-focused strategies to keep work practical and goal-directed. People who choose her tend to want straightforward tools for anxiety, addiction, grief, relationship strain, or life changes.

She aims to create a respectful, caring space and to help clients leave each session with at least one useful step they can try.

How Darlene’s Approaches Work Online

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building understanding. The therapist follows the client's lead, reflects what they say, and helps them set goals that feel meaningful. This style supports people coping with anxiety, grief, or relationship strain by prioritizing their values and choices.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. Online sessions teach concrete exercises to challenge unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors, which can reduce anxiety and improve mood. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, offers short skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance and is useful when emotions feel overwhelming.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk through goals, try techniques, and adjust based on what helps most. Clients and the therapist decide together which methods to emphasize as progress unfolds.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which make scheduling more flexible. Video sessions allow face-to-face interaction, phone calls use less bandwidth, live chat is useful for quick check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing thought tracking and brief updates between sessions. These options help people fit therapy into work, parenting, or treatment routines.
Book with Darlene Now Review online therapy options and next steps.

Questions people ask

What kinds of concerns does Darlene address?
She works with a wide range of issues including anxiety, addiction, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting stress, anger, and career concerns.
What is her therapy style like?
Her approach is warm and interactive. Sessions are collaborative and focus on practical skills like emotion regulation, coping strategies, and goal setting.
How much experience does she have?
She has eight years of experience working in behavioral health settings, including inpatient treatment and a methadone clinic supporting adults with opioid addiction and co-occurring mental health issues.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds LPC and LPC-MHSP credentials and practices from Tennessee with licensure noted as WI LPC and TN LPC-MHSP in her background details.
Which languages and international options are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.
How does cost work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

What this therapist works with

Also listed

Experience
8 years
Licensed
Wisconsin, Tennessee
Languages
English

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