Your Counselor, Sha Wortman, LPC

The middle school years are hard, and no one gives parents a roadmap.

Maybe your preteen or teenager is overwhelmed, withdrawn, anxious, or full of anger, and you don’t know how to help them. Maybe you’re overwhelmed too. Exhausted from trying to support your child without knowing what’s “normal” or what’s serious. Or maybe you're both just walking on eggshells, trying to make it through the week.

If you're here, it likely means that something feels heavy, for your child, for you, or for both of you. And you're ready for counseling that actually helps teens and preteens feel better and move forward.

Find your teen & pre-teen counselor in Birmingham, AL

Hi, I’m Sha. 

I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor offering teen and pre-teen counseling in Birmingham, AL. I have more than 20 years of experience walking with young people and their families through seasons of anxiety, emotional overwhelm, behavioral struggles, and major life transitions.

My background includes school counseling, private practice, and in-school clinical services for high-risk students. I’ve worked with hundreds of preteens and teens, and I understand just how tough this season can be for the whole family.

My therapy room is calm, safe, and welcoming. It’s the kind of space where clients can take a deep breath, drop their guard, and feel like they matter. My style is relational, faith-based, and rooted in both clinical training and real-life experience. I use humor carefully, compassion freely, and curiosity always.

What it’s like to work with me

When you’re in session with me, it feels like you’re sitting with someone who genuinely wants to understand you. I take time to hear your story, not just the symptoms, but the context, the patterns, and the weight of it all. I help my clients name what they’re experiencing, reflect on how it’s shaped them, and begin to build new ways of coping and connecting.

Whether I’m working with a young person or a parent, I offer practical tools that bring relief now, while helping clients develop the long-term skills they need to face what’s next.

Who I work with:

• Preteens (9-12 years old) experiencing anxiety, emotional dysregulation, ADHD, or school-related stress

• Teens and adolescents struggling with identity, peer dynamics, performance pressure, or big feelings they don’t know how to name

• Parents who feel like nothing is working and want support, clarity, and hope

• Families in transition, including divorce, grief, relocation, or major change

• Clients of faith looking for a therapist who respects their beliefs and meets them without judgment

• Caregivers and families living with chronic illness, seeking emotional and practical support

Support for Families Navigating Chronic Illness

Alongside my professional background, I bring personal experience to the work I do with families. My husband and I raised a house full of boys, two of whom were diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, one at just 9 months old, and the other at age 10.

We were suddenly thrust into a world of medical appointments, sleepless nights, blood sugar monitoring, and constant adjustment. Navigating those diagnoses while striving to raise confident, capable children who aren’t defined by their limitations was no easy task.

Through those years, I learned a great deal about resilience, advocacy, and the power of support. Living with a chronic illness, or caring for someone who does, can be isolating and overwhelming. But you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

Therapy can offer space to process the grief and fear, receive emotional support, and develop a plan that helps you and your child feel more empowered.

What clients say they feel after a session:

✔ Calmer and more hopeful
✔ More empowered to try new strategies
✔ Less alone in what they’re carrying
✔ Ready to take the next step

My Professional Background

I earned my undergraduate degree in Social Work from Georgia State University in 1993 after attending Truett-McConnell College, where I was honored as the Outstanding Behavioral Science Student. I later completed my Master’s in School Counseling in 1998. Since then, I’ve worked as a school counselor, executive function coach, private therapist, and in-school clinician for high-risk youth.

Whether I’m helping a parent create a plan for their anxious middle schooler or sitting with a teen who doesn’t know how to name what they feel, I bring clarity, warmth, and steady support.

When I’m not in session, you can find me cooking for my family, watching sports, walking or hiking outside, or kayaking when I get the chance. I love being outdoors and spending quality time with my people.

Start counseling with Sha in Birmingham, AL

Whether you're supporting your child or seeking a calm, clear space for yourself, I’m here to help.

Call 205-538-3978 or click here to schedule a free consult.