Shelley Akerman, LPC

Shelley Akerman is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Georgia with eleven years of experience. She began her clinical path after earning a master's degree and has worked across outpatient and hospital settings. Her approach is warm and approachable, and she aims to make therapy feel conversational rather than clinical.

Shelley uses practical strategies to help people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, addiction, and midlife changes. She is comfortable talking about relationship and intimacy issues, parenting concerns, caregiver strain, and problems tied to self-esteem and identity. She also supports people facing chronic illness, cancer, and body image struggles.

Her style is down-to-earth and relaxed. Sessions focus on clear goals and real-life solutions you can try between meetings. She draws on client-centered work to keep the conversation focused on the person in front of her, and she uses cognitive and narrative techniques to reshape unhelpful thoughts and personal stories.

Shelley believes therapy should feel like a partnership. She emphasizes collaboration and helps people choose strategies that fit their daily lives. She also brings motivational interviewing tools to support change when clients feel stuck.

People who want straightforward, practical steps and a calm, supportive presence may find this a good fit. Shelley works with a wide range of concerns, including ADHD, compassion fatigue, and complex family of origin issues. If you want a conversational, goal-focused clinician in Georgia, she offers an experienced option.

How therapy approaches shape online care

Client-Centered Therapy puts the person and their experience at the center of sessions. It emphasizes listening, empathy, and helping people identify their own goals and values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and offers practical tools to change unhelpful thinking and behavior. Mindfulness Therapy teaches attention and awareness skills to reduce reactivity and manage stress and anxiety.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Shelley treats this as a collaboration and will help you decide which methods fit your needs and preferences. Together you will set goals and try strategies, then adjust the plan based on what helps most.

For online work, confirm the session options before booking since specific formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, shorten travel time, and allow check-ins during a lunch break or between responsibilities. Some formats also reduce the need to be on camera or use high bandwidth, which can suit different days and needs. Licensed professionals can adapt these approaches to work effectively in remote sessions, and Shelley will discuss practical arrangements when you get started.