Tim 'The Tater'* Jones sat in his dusty old trailer in Standing Rock, Alabama, nursing a bottle of whiskey and watching the news. When the story came on about medical technicians in Quebec getting bonuses, he scoffed. 'Typical government bureaucrats, screwing over the little guy again,' he muttered.

This news hit close to home for Tim. His mother had been a nurse in the small county hospital, working tirelessly for years until succumbing to cancer. They could never afford good health insurance, and he always felt the medical system had failed her. Seeing some hospitals getting better treatment than others triggered painful memories.

Tim had been stuck in a rut for years, drinking away his sorrows after his construction job went under in the recession. But this news was the last straw. He decided then and there to get his life back on track, for his mother's memory if nothing else. Surfing the internet, he came across the Hofman Hollis Institute's Stepping Into Action program for substance abuse and life coaching.

'This could be just what I need,' Tim thought. The first few sessions were rough, dredging up repressed feelings about his mom's death and his own sense of failure. But Angela*, his counselor, was patient and kind. 'The past doesn't have to define you,' she said. 'The power to change is within you.' Slowly, Tim started believing her.

Experts disagree on whether online counseling can be as effective as in-person therapy. 'You lose so much nonverbal communication over video,' said Dr. Jacqueline Gomez, a psychologist in Birmingham. But Dr. Marcus Jiang, who specializes in teletherapy, argued 'The convenience of online access helps many people who would never get help otherwise.'

For Tim, Angela's virtual presence was better than no one at all in his isolated small town. Six months into the program, he was sober, had lost 30 pounds, and found a new job he actually enjoyed. 'I'm taking my life back,' he told Angela with a radiant smile. 'I couldn't have done it without your help.'

Sometimes the most life-changing journeys start from unexpected sparks of inspiration. While the difficulties are real, the path of self-improvement is open to anyone brave enough to take the first step.

Nearby: Glenn Georgia, North West Point Georgia, Cannonville Georgia, Gray Hill Georgia, Waresville Georgia, O'Neals Crossroad Georgia, Denver Georgia, Franklin Georgia, West Point Georgia, Aubrey Georgia, Pyne Georgia, Wares Crossroads Georgia, Piedmont Heights Georgia, Mason Georgia, Gabbettville Georgia, Abbottsford Georgia, Adamson Georgia, Viola Georgia, Vernon Georgia, Long Cane Georgia, Lees Crossing Georgia, Texas Georgia, Houston Georgia, Owensbyville Georgia, Evansville Georgia