Why people choose to meet online
Some weeks, leaving the house is the hardest thing on the list. Maybe you're the one holding a household together, or you're caring for someone, or the thought of sitting in a waiting room and then driving home afterward is simply more than you have in you. Meeting online removes that whole layer. You open your laptop, you talk, and when the session ends you're already home.
Online counseling with Navigating Though Life LLC covers the same ground as meeting in person. Nothing is shortened or simplified because of the screen. What changes is the logistics — no travel, no parking, no rearranging your day around a commute. For people working through grief counselingthat matters more than you'd expect. Hard conversations are easier to have when you don't have to pull yourself together afterward for the drive back.
It also opens things up if your schedule is unpredictable. A Monday evening slot or a Saturday morning is a lot more realistic when it doesn't cost you an extra hour on either end.
How an online session actually works
There's no complicated setup and nothing to install ahead of time if you'd rather keep it simple. Sessions happen by video call or straight over the phone — whichever you're more comfortable with. Some people want to see a face. Others would much rather talk with their eyes closed, sitting on the back step. Both are fine, and you can switch between them from one week to the next without explaining yourself.
- You reach out by email at mhoward1759@gmail.com and say a little about what's going on
- We agree on a day and time that fits inside the regular weekly hours
- You get the details for the call ahead of time, so nothing is rushed on the day
- You join from a laptop, tablet or phone — or we just talk by voice if you prefer
- Afterward, you decide whether and when you'd like to book again
First sessions tend to run a little differently from the ones after. Early on, a lot of it is listening — getting a clear picture of where you are, what you've already tried, and what you actually want to be different. Later sessions get more practical, working on the specific thing that's in front of you that week.
You don't have to have the right words ready before you call. Showing up is the part that counts.
Making the most of a session from home
A few small things make online sessions feel less like a video meeting and more like a real conversation. None of these are requirements — plenty of people have good sessions from a parked car on a lunch break — but they help.
- Pick a spot where you won't be overheard, even if that means the car or the back yard
- Headphones or earbuds make a bigger difference than a good camera does
- Have water and a box of tissues nearby. You may not need them, but it's better than hunting for them mid-sentence
- Leave ten or fifteen minutes free afterward instead of jumping straight back into work
- Keep a notebook handy if writing things down helps you hold onto them
If your connection drops, we pick up by phone. It happens, it's not a problem, and it doesn't cost you the session.
Set up your first online session
The easiest way to start is to send an email to mhoward1759@gmail.com. Tell as much or as little as you want to — a couple of sentences is genuinely enough. You'll hear back with a few times that fit, and you can pick whichever works.
If you'd rather talk it through before committing to anything, call (609) 851-0217 during open hours and ask your questions first. There's no obligation attached to that call.
Weekly availability: Monday 4:00pm–7:00pm, Tuesday through Thursday 10:00am–4:00pm, Friday 11:00am–3:00pm, and Saturday 10:00am–2:00pm. Sunday is closed.