Meeting Online With Depth: How to Create a Warm, Supportive Space for Counseling & Coaching Sessions

Most of us spend our days in online meetings: screens, notifications, stiff chairs, and rushed conversations. So it’s natural to wonder: Can an online counseling or coaching session really feel different? Can it feel safe, deep, and intimate… even through a laptop?

The short answer is: yes. Absolutely. I’ve been offering online sessions for many years, long before the pandemic normalized remote connection. What I’ve learned, and what research confirms, is that online sessions can be just as meaningful and effective as meeting in person, as long as we create the right conditions for the work.

When you come to my physical practice, there is a natural ritual: the journey there, the quiet space, a cup of tea, the moment of arrival. Online, these same qualities don’t disappear: they simply need to be intentionally created. Below you’ll find a few gentle suggestions to help our sessions feel grounding, warm, and distinctly different from your everyday online life.

How to Prepare for an Online Counseling or Coaching Session

1. Choose a space where you feel safe

Find a place where you won't be overheard or interrupted: a room where you can exhale.This sense of privacy is the foundation of meaningful work.

2. Make sure your tech supports your comfort

You don't need fancy equipment, just:

• a stable internet connection

• clear sound (headphones can help)

• a screen where you can see comfortably

Connecting from a phone works, but a tablet or computer often helps us feel more present together.

3. Sit in a way that supports presence

Try to find a regular chair and place your device at eye level. Not because of posture rules, but because meeting at eye level supports connection, trust, and a sense of equality.

(Lying on your bed is cozy, but it can make it harder to stay emotionally engaged.)

4. Bring what you might need

Have nearby:

• a glass of water

• tissues

• a pen and paper

• anything that helps you feel grounded

If any specific tools are needed for a method, I’ll let you know beforehand.

5. Minimize distractions

Ideally:

• silence notifications

• close email tabs

• keep pets and loved ones out of your line of sight

Anything that pulls your attention away from yourself can dilute the depth of your process.This hour is for you. Let the rest of the world wait a little.

6. Give yourself time to arrive... and time to land after

Try to take 10 quiet minutes before our session to settle, breathe, or simply transition from your day. And after we finish, give yourself a few minutes of integration time before you return to life.Think of it as the online equivalent of walking home from my practice: space for your thoughts to settle gently.

7. Walking sessions are also possible

If you prefer, we can also have "walking sessions", audio-only. You can take a walk in a park or through your neighborhood while we talk, especially if privacy at home is limited. This works surprisingly well for grounding, reflection, and processing.

Calling in from your workplace

It is also absolutely okay to join our session from your workplace if that’s where you happen to be, many clients do this. The same principles apply: choose a spot where you feel safe and won’t be overheard, try to reduce distractions, and give yourself a brief moment to mentally “arrive,” rather than jumping directly from a previous meeting into the session.

When done with intention, workplace-based sessions can actually support the process quite powerfully: being physically present in your everyday environment often brings up thoughts, emotions, and situations that are directly relevant to your growth, which we can immediately work with in real time. In that sense, it can become a catalyst for deeper insight and change.

Creating Meaningful Work, Even Through a Screen

The medium may be digital, but the work remains deeply human. When you prepare intentionally, an online session can feel like stepping into a small sanctuary: a space where you can pause, breathe, and connect with yourself in a way that everyday life rarely allows.

All of these guidelines are simply invitations. Together, we’ll shape an online space that feels supportive for you.