You Don't Have to Navigate Your Custody Dispute Alone
Not legal advice. Not therapy. It's an honest conversation with someone who has spent 20 years advocating for children — and has been through a custody dispute himself.
Who This Is For
If any of this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
For Parents and Guardians
- I worry about how this is affecting my kids — and I don't know how to help them
- My children are watching all of this unfold, and I can't shield them from it
- I'm struggling to stay focused on what my kids need when everything feels like a battle
- I want to be the stable, present parent my children need right now
- Nobody in this process seems focused on what's actually best for my children
- Every interaction with the other parent turns into conflict, and my kids are caught in the middle
- I feel completely alone in this
- I'm doing everything right and it still feels like I'm losing ground
What you're experiencing is real — and so is your concern for your children. Custody disputes are among the most isolating situations a parent can go through, and the hardest part is often not knowing how to protect your kids from the impact while you're navigating it yourself. Jon has spent his career as a child advocate, and he's been through this as a parent, too. He helps you stay focused on what your children need, while making sure you have someone genuinely in your corner along the way.
For Custody Attorneys
- I carry my clients' worst fears home with me
- Some of these cases stay with me long after they're closed
- I went into this work to help families, but it's wearing me down
- I don't have anywhere to put what I absorb from these cases
- My clients need so much more than legal strategy, and I can't provide all of it
- I find myself managing trauma: my clients' and, increasingly, my own
Custody work is heavy in ways that are hard to explain to people outside it, and rarely acknowledged inside it. Jon has carried that weight himself — both in the courtroom and at home. He offers attorneys something that's genuinely hard to find: an honest conversation with someone who has been there, who gets it, and who genuinely shows up for it.
About Jon
Hi. I'm Jon.
In 2011, I went through my own divorce and custody dispute. I had the legal training, I knew the system, and I still felt completely alone in it. What I needed wasn't another attorney or another therapy appointment. I needed someone who had already walked that road and could help me find my footing. That person didn't exist for me then. That's why he exists now.
I'm a lawyer by training, with a J.D. with honors from George Washington University Law School, with a background in Government and Psychology from Wesleyan University. Since 2005, I have worked as a guardian ad litem in Washington DC, representing the best interests of children in custody, abuse, neglect, adoption, and guardianship cases. I have spent twenty years sitting in courtrooms, mediation rooms, and the most difficult conversations imaginable, always on behalf of the children in the middle.
That experience gives me a perspective almost nobody else in this space has. I haven't just seen custody disputes from one side. I've seen them from the child's side, the view that cuts through everything else and gets to what actually matters. I know what helps and what hurts, not in theory, but from years of watching it play out in real cases with real families.
This isn't legal advice. I'm not your attorney here. And it isn't therapy. What I offer is honest, experienced, genuinely caring support from someone who has been through this personally, spent a career immersed in it professionally, and believes that no parent, and no attorney carrying their clients' pain, should have to navigate it alone.
Real Human. Real Experience.
Some things still require a human being. This is one of them.
There are a lot of places online where you can get information about custody. AI will answer your questions at 2am, generate you a list, and summarize your situation in bullet points.
That's not what this is.
What people in custody disputes need most, and what the formal legal process is least equipped to provide, is human connection. Not information. Not documentation. Not a report generated at the end. A real person who genuinely shows up.
This is that. Jon is a real person, one who has spent his career in family courts and went through his own custody dispute, who listens, who remembers you, and who genuinely cares about how this turns out for you and your children. No algorithm. No automated response. Someone who has genuinely been there.
Sessions are informal and off the record: no notes, no recordings, no documentation of any kind. Just an honest conversation, treated with the discretion you'd expect from a trusted friend.
At a moment when everyone is turning to a screen for answers, Jon is showing up as a real human being.
What We Do
Practical support from someone who has been on both sides.
For parents navigating a custody dispute, and for the attorneys who carry their cases.
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You'll finally feel heard
A calm, private, judgment-free conversation with someone who genuinely understands what you're going through, not because he read about it, but because he lived it. Custody disputes are among the most isolating experiences a parent can face. Jon knows that. And he shows up for it.
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Your children's well-being stays front and center
As a guardian ad litem attorney for children in family cases, Jon has spent his career as an advocate for children in family cases — hearing their voices, understanding their needs, and watching how these disputes shape their lives. He brings that perspective to every session, helping you stay attuned to what your children are experiencing and what they need from you, even when the legal process makes that harder to see.
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You'll have someone truly in your corner
The kind of support that's hard to find: empathy that's real, guidance that's practical, and the calm perspective of someone with years of experience in these cases, who has been through one himself. Someone who cares not just about your case, but about you. You leave feeling steadier, clearer, and genuinely supported.
How It Works
Simple, private, at your pace.
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01
Start with a free intro call
Not sure if this is right for you? Book a free 15-minute Walk Around the Block. You share a little about where you are, Jon listens, and you both decide if working together makes sense. No commitment, no paperwork. If it's a fit, you'll have a booking link in minutes.
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02
Book a session
Pick your format — a virtual walk or a stationary session — and choose a time that works. Payment is handled at booking. No phone tag, no surprises.
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03
We connect
You'll get a confirmation email with the details after booking. That's it. No forms, no paperwork, no prep work required from you.
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04
We walk and talk
Step outside or settle in somewhere quiet. You talk, Jon listens — and then he talks back, honestly, from experience. You leave the conversation feeling clearer, steadier, and less alone.
Sessions
Four ways to work together.
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Free · 15 Min
Walk Around the Block
Free / 15 min
A free 15-minute intro call to see if we're a good fit. You share where you are, Jon listens, and you both decide if working together makes sense. No commitment. No paperwork. The call ends right at 15 minutes — and if it feels right, you'll have a booking link waiting in your inbox immediately after.
Book Free Intro Call -
Walk Together
$400 / 1 hr
You step outside on your end — a park, your neighborhood, wherever feels right. Jon steps outside on his, somewhere in the DC area. You connect by video, put in your earbuds, and walk and talk like you would with an old friend. Private, moving, and surprisingly freeing. Available to anyone, anywhere in the country.
Book a Walk -
Extended Walk Together
$550 / 90 min
Same format, more time. For situations that are complex, layered, or have simply been building up for a while. Available to anyone, anywhere in the country.
Book Extended Walk -
Sit Down Session
$400 / 1 hr
Prefer to be stationary? A quiet, private video call works just as well. Same honest conversation, same quality of support, no movement required.
Book a Sit Down
Sessions are $400 (1 hour) or $550 (90 minutes). That reflects twenty years of experience representing children in custody and family cases, genuine empathy and support from someone who has been through this himself, and a format designed to give you something the process rarely does — a reason to get outside, move, and breathe. A limited number of reduced-rate spots are available for those for whom cost is a real barrier — $200 (1 hour) or $275 (90 minutes) for up to three sessions. Simply select the reduced rate when booking — no questions asked.
All sessions are virtual. Prices shown in USD and confirmed at booking. Consulting only — not legal advice. Booking a session does not create an attorney-client relationship, and conversations are not protected by attorney-client privilege.
Your Feedback Matters
Every session ends with a short, optional survey.
A few minutes, a few simple questions. Your honest feedback helps make this service better for every parent and attorney who comes after you.
As a thank-you for completing the survey, you'll receive $50 off your next session, automatically delivered the moment you submit.
Your responses are kept completely private. If you choose to share a few words about your experience, we may post them on this website — with your initials or anonymously, only with your explicit consent.
FAQ
Common questions.
How do I know if this is right for me?
Start with a free 15-minute intro call — what we call a Walk Around the Block. You share a little about your situation, Jon listens, and you both decide if working together makes sense. The call ends right at 15 minutes, and if it feels like a fit, you'll have a link to book a paid session waiting in your inbox immediately after. No pressure, no commitment.
Is this legal advice?
No. Custody Friend Consulting is a consulting service — not a law firm. Even though Jon holds a law license, he is not acting as your attorney in a consulting session. Nothing shared here is legal advice, no attorney-client relationship is formed, and communications are not protected by attorney-client privilege. For legal representation, please retain a licensed attorney in your state.
Is this therapy?
No. Jon is not a licensed therapist, and sessions are not a substitute for mental health treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact a licensed professional. What Jon does offer — and does genuinely well — is listen. Really listen. He brings patience, honest guidance, a grounded perspective, and a consistently positive presence to every conversation. Not clinical care, but the kind of human support that can make a real difference when you're in the middle of something this hard.
How is this different from working with my attorney?
Your attorney's job is legal strategy — and that's exactly what you should use them for. Jon's role is everything around that: helping you understand the process in plain language, being a steady honest presence between appointments, and helping you show up to those attorney meetings organized and clear-headed so you make the most of that expensive time.
How is this different from therapy?
A therapist focuses on your inner world — processing emotions, healing, mental health. That work is invaluable and Jon is not a replacement for it. What he offers is more practical and process-focused: what's actually happening in your case, how to communicate more effectively, how to show up for your kids, and what to do this week. And while he's not a therapist, he knows how to listen deeply, offer honest guidance, and show up with the kind of steady, positive presence that can help you feel less alone in the hard stretches between appointments.
Do attorneys use this service too?
Yes. Family law attorneys are among the professionals Jon works with. Secondary traumatic stress is a known occupational reality in this field: sustained work with traumatized clients takes a real toll, and it's rarely acknowledged or supported within professional settings. Jon offers attorneys a private, informal space to decompress, gain perspective, and be genuinely heard by someone who understands the work from the inside.
How does a virtual session actually work?
You step outside — a park, your neighborhood, a trail, wherever you like — and Jon does the same on his end. You connect by video on your phone, put in your earbuds, and walk and talk. Your screen faces forward, your audio stays completely private. It sounds simple because it is.
What if I can't get outside — can we do a stationary session?
Absolutely. The Sit Down Session is exactly that — a quiet, private video call from wherever you're comfortable. Same honest conversation, same quality of support, no movement required.
Is anything recorded or documented?
No. Sessions are not recorded. Jon does not take notes during or after sessions. Nothing is documented. This is an informal, private conversation between two people.
Do you offer a reduced rate?
A limited number of reduced-rate spots are available at any given time for those for whom cost is a real barrier — $200 for a 1-hour session or $275 for a 90-minute session, for up to three sessions. Simply select the reduced rate when booking. No conversation needed, no questions asked.
Can I reschedule?
Yes. Use the link in your confirmation email to reschedule up to 24 hours before your session. Life happens — especially when you're in the middle of something like this.
Who is this for?
Parents and guardians at any stage of a custody situation — whether you're just starting out, deep in a difficult stretch, preparing for court or mediation, or living under a finalized custody order or agreement and navigating the day-to-day realities of co-parenting, or simply trying to feel less alone. And custody attorneys who are carrying more than legal strategy in these cases. If you're navigating a custody dispute — from either side of the table — and need someone genuinely in your corner, this is for you.