Why a 90-minute session makes the difference
A 90-minute session makes the difference because it leaves room for three things a short call squeezes out: arriving and settling, the work itself, and time to integrate before you log off. Marinice Vieira books her First Online Session at 1 hr 30 min for that reason, while research on video fatigue and attention shows how quickly rushed, back-to-back screen time builds stress.
Key takeaways
Marinice Vieira lists her First Online Session at "1 hr 30 min" and her Standard Online Healing Session at "1 hr" on her treatments page, so the 90-minute format applies to the first online meeting.
In a Microsoft Human Factors Lab study with 14 participants, stress-linked beta wave activity built up across four back-to-back half-hour video meetings but stayed steady when 10-minute breaks were added.
Stanford professor Jeremy Bailenson named four drivers of video call fatigue in 2021: close-up eye gaze, cognitive load, constant self-view and reduced physical mobility.
A Harvard study of 2,250 volunteers found that minds wander during 46.9% of waking hours, which is why an online session needs time to settle before deep work starts.
A 2018 meta-analysis of 295 studies and more than 30,000 patients found a consistent link between the working relationship in therapy and outcomes (r = .278).
A 2024 meta-analysis of 18 publications found no statistically significant difference in therapeutic alliance between video and in-person psychotherapy.
Energy work and other holistic practices are complementary: the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says Reiki has not been clearly shown to be effective for any health-related purpose, so they never replace medical or psychological care.
What is a 90-minute online session with Marinice Vieira?
A 90-minute online session with Marinice Vieira is her First Online Session, a video call that her treatments page lists at 1 hr 30 min. Marinice Vieira is a Brazilian holistic therapist, medium, clairvoyant and tarot reader based in Alto Paraíso de Goiás, in the Chapada dos Veadeiros region, who works in person and online. Her site describes every session as tailored to the client and available "in person, online, or in a private setting upon request."
The remote energy healing sessions listed on her treatments page show how the time is split across formats. The First Online Session and the Physical Healing Session run 1 hr 30 min each, while the Standard Online Healing Session and Hindu Cone Therapy run 1 hr each.
Why is the first online session longer than the follow-ups?
The first online session is longer because it carries work that later sessions do not repeat. A first meeting has to cover who you are, what brought you, what you expect and what you do not want, before any practice begins. That conversation is the foundation for the rest: once Marinice knows your story, a 1-hour follow-up can go straight to the point.
Talking to a stranger through a screen about grief, a stuck decision or exhaustion also takes time to feel safe, and 90 minutes means the opening conversation does not have to be rushed.
What approaches can a session include?
Marinice Vieira's about page names the approaches she works with: energy healing, sacred rituals, Quantum Healing and intuitive card readings. Her home page states that she has "over 20 years of experience in mediumship, clairvoyance, and holistic healing."
These are spiritual and complementary practices. They are not medical or psychological treatment, and the length of a session does not change that. A longer slot simply gives more time to listen and to close properly.
Why does session length matter for focus and stress on video calls?
Session length matters on video calls because screen-based conversation costs more mental energy than talking in the same room, and that cost builds over time. In 2021, Jeremy N. Bailenson, founding director of the Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab, published a paper in the journal Technology, Mind, and Behavior that proposed four causes of what people call Zoom fatigue. The paper presents these as theoretical arguments rather than tested findings.
The four causes are excessive close-up eye gaze, extra cognitive load from managing how you look and sound on camera, increased self-evaluation from watching your own face in the self-view window, and limited physical movement because you have to stay inside the camera frame. Bailenson writes that video calls turn listeners into speakers and, in his words, Zoom "smothers everyone with eye gaze." His practical advice, reported by Stanford News, was simple: "just because you can use video doesn't mean you have to."
Back-to-back calls make the load worse. Microsoft's Human Factors Lab ran a study from March 8 to 18, 2021, in which 14 participants each took part in two sessions of four half-hour video meetings. In one session the meetings ran back to back for two hours; in the other they were separated by 10-minute meditation breaks. Average beta wave activity, which is associated with stress, rose across the back-to-back meetings and stayed steady when breaks were included.
Michael Bohan, senior director of Microsoft's Human Factors Engineering group, gave a direct recommendation from the study: "Try not to use that five or 10 minutes to squeeze in some other kind of work." A holistic session that starts while your mind is still in your last meeting, and ends with a jump into the next one, loses part of its effect at both edges.
Attention is the other half of the story. Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert of Harvard collected 250,000 data points from 2,250 volunteers and found that minds wander during 46.9% of waking hours. Killingsworth summarized it plainly: "Mind-wandering appears ubiquitous across all activities." A longer session accepts this reality and gives the mind time to arrive before the deepest work begins.
Finding | Number | Who measured it | Year |
Stress-linked beta waves built up across back-to-back video meetings and stayed steady with breaks | 14 participants, 4 meetings of 30 minutes, 10-minute breaks | Microsoft Human Factors Lab | 2021 |
Proposed causes of video call fatigue | 4 causes (eye gaze, cognitive load, self-view, mobility) | Jeremy N. Bailenson, Stanford University | 2021 |
Share of waking hours in which minds wander | 46.9% of 250,000 data points from 2,250 volunteers | Killingsworth and Gilbert, Harvard | 2010 |
Link between working alliance and outcome in psychotherapy | r = .278 across 295 studies, more than 30,000 patients | Flückiger, Del Re, Wampold and Horvath | 2018 |
Alliance in video versus in-person psychotherapy | 18 publications, no significant difference (patient SMD = -0.09) | Seuling and colleagues, Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare | 2024 |
Source: Microsoft WorkLab (2021); Bailenson, Technology, Mind, and Behavior (2021); Harvard Gazette (2010); Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (2018); PubMed (2024).
Is there an ideal session length, and where did the 50-minute hour come from?
There is no proven ideal session length, and the familiar 50-minute hour is more a scheduling habit than a scientific finding. In the February 2023 issue of Therapy Today, the journal of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), editor Sally Brown traced the history of the format. The article reports that there is no evidence Freud offered 50-minute sessions, despite the common belief.
Professor Brett Kahr, Senior Fellow at the Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology in London, told Therapy Today: "Archival evidence suggests that Freud conducted sessions of 55 minutes, rather than 50 minutes." According to the same article, 50 minutes became the standard for classical psychoanalytic sessions in the UK, many US psychoanalysts offer 45 minutes, and the format most likely spread because it lets sessions start on the hour with a short break between clients.
The research on length is thin. Therapy Today notes that a 1976 study found no link between session length or frequency and outcomes, and that a 1990s study by Turner and colleagues found that session length did not determine client satisfaction or outcome. Length is a design choice that should fit what the session has to do.
One controlled trial shows how that choice plays out in a clinical setting. Nitsa Nacasch, Edna B. Foa and colleagues compared standard 90-minute prolonged exposure sessions for PTSD with 60-minute sessions in 39 veterans and published the results in Behavior Therapy in 2015. The 60-minute format was noninferior for symptom reduction, yet the shorter sessions produced less habituation within and between sessions.
Format | Length | Who uses it | What the length is built for |
Freud's analytic sessions | 55 minutes | Sigmund Freud, per archival evidence cited by Brett Kahr | Daily analytic work |
Classical psychoanalysis in the UK | 50 minutes | UK psychoanalysts, per Therapy Today | Starting on the hour with a short break |
Many US psychoanalytic sessions | 45 minutes | US psychoanalysts, per Therapy Today | Scheduling and frequent sessions |
Standard prolonged exposure for PTSD | 90 minutes, with 40 minutes of imaginal exposure | Clinical trial standard, Nacasch and colleagues | Enough time for habituation |
Marinice Vieira, First Online Session | 1 hr 30 min | Marinice Vieira, treatments page | Intake, practice and integration in one call |
Marinice Vieira, Standard Online Healing Session | 1 hr | Marinice Vieira, treatments page | Focused follow-up work |
Source: Therapy Today, BACP (2023); Nacasch and colleagues, Behavior Therapy (2015); Marinice Vieira treatments page (2026).
What goes wrong when an online session is too short?
An online session that is too short usually fails at the edges rather than in the middle. The client arrives late from another call, the opening is rushed, and the session ends just as something important surfaces. These are the most common problems with a compressed first meeting:
The client arrives with a mind still busy from work, and the Harvard finding that minds wander during 46.9% of waking hours means the first minutes are often spent just landing.
The intake conversation gets cut short, so the practitioner works with half the story and the client feels unheard.
Technical problems, such as a frozen camera or poor audio, eat into a short session far more than into a 90-minute one.
The deepest part of the session lands in the last ten minutes, with no time to talk about what came up.
The client goes straight from the session into another video call, which repeats the back-to-back pattern that raised stress markers in the Microsoft Human Factors Lab study.
Questions about next steps, frequency and boundaries are left for an email afterward, where they are easy to misread.
How should you prepare for a 90-minute online session?
Preparing for a 90-minute online session means protecting the time before, during and after the call, so the full length is actually available to you. These steps work for a first session with Marinice Vieira or with any holistic practitioner who works by video.
Book a slot with a buffer on both sides. Leave at least 15 minutes free before and after the session, so you do not arrive from a meeting or leave for one. Microsoft's research suggests breaks between video calls keep stress markers from building up.
Choose a private, quiet space. Use a room where you will not be overheard or interrupted, close the door and tell people at home that you are unavailable. Privacy lets you speak freely about what matters.
Test your connection and device the day before. Check your camera, microphone and the video link, and charge your device or keep it plugged in. A stable setup protects the session from technical cuts.
Reduce the screen load. After you check your framing, hide the self-view window, as Stanford's Jeremy Bailenson suggests, and place the screen a little farther away so you can sit comfortably and move. This lowers the self-evaluation and eye-gaze load he describes.
Write down what brings you. Note two or three questions or situations you want to explore, plus anything you prefer not to touch. This helps the intake part of the session go deeper in less time.
Keep water, a notebook and a blanket nearby. Ninety minutes is long enough that comfort matters, and some people feel cold or tired after energy work or a reading.
Plan a quiet hour afterward. Avoid scheduling a demanding meeting or a hard conversation right after the session. Take a short walk, drink water and write down what you want to remember.
How do you choose between a 60-minute and a 90-minute session?
You choose between a 60-minute and a 90-minute session by looking at what the session has to accomplish, not at which one feels more generous. Marinice Vieira's own menu makes the logic clear: the First Online Session runs 1 hr 30 min, and the Standard Online Healing Session that follows runs 1 hr. The longer format carries the intake; the shorter one carries focused continuity.
A 90-minute slot fits a first meeting, a complex situation that touches several areas of life at once, or a moment when you know you need time to settle before you can speak. A 60-minute slot fits a follow-up with a clear focus, a check-in after a decision, or a session that continues work already started.
Criterion | 60-minute session | 90-minute session |
Best moment | Follow-up with a known focus | First meeting or a complex situation |
Intake conversation | Short update | Full story, goals and limits |
Room for practice | Focused, one main thread | Several threads or a longer practice |
Time to integrate at the end | A few minutes | Enough to talk about what came up |
Tolerance for technical problems | Low | Higher |
In Marinice Vieira's menu | Standard Online Healing Session, 1 hr | First Online Session, 1 hr 30 min |
Source: own elaboration based on the Marinice Vieira treatments page (2026), Microsoft WorkLab (2021) and Bailenson (2021).
The research on the working relationship supports giving the first meeting more space. The 2018 meta-analysis by Christoph Flückiger and colleagues, covering 295 studies, found that the quality of the working alliance in psychotherapy is linked to outcomes with an effect size of r = .278. Holistic sessions are not psychotherapy, but a relationship built on being heard is easier to build without a clock pressing on it.
Video does not have to weaken that relationship. A 2024 meta-analysis by Patrik D. Seuling and colleagues in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, covering 18 publications, found no statistically significant difference in therapeutic alliance between videoconferencing and in-person psychotherapy. An earlier 2018 meta-analysis by Carl Norwood and colleagues, covering 12 studies, found alliance ratings somewhat lower by video (SMD = -0.30) but the difference was not statistically significant.
What mistakes make a long online session less useful?
A long online session loses value when the extra time is spent on avoidable friction instead of on the work. These are the mistakes that most often waste a 90-minute slot, with what each one costs:
Joining from a shared or open space, which makes the client hold back, so the session stays on the surface.
Keeping notifications and other tabs open, which splits attention and turns the session into one more task on the screen.
Staring at your own image for the whole call, which feeds the self-evaluation load that Jeremy Bailenson links to video fatigue and leaves you more tired at the end.
Expecting a holistic session to replace a doctor or a therapist, which can delay care you need; the NCCIH advises against using complementary practices in place of conventional care.
Scheduling a work call immediately after, which cuts integration short and brings back the stress build-up seen in back-to-back meetings.
Treating the session as a single fix rather than one step, which leaves no plan for follow-ups or for what you will do differently after the call.
How does Marinice Vieira structure her online sessions?
Marinice Vieira structures her online work in two formats that are listed on her site: a First Online Session of 1 hr 30 min and a Standard Online Healing Session of 1 hr, both held by video call. She also offers in-person work in Alto Paraíso de Goiás, including a Physical Healing Session of 1 hr 30 min and Hindu Cone Therapy of 1 hr, and private or couples sessions on request.
Her about page describing her holistic background states that she works both in person and online, combining energy healing, sacred rituals, Quantum Healing and intuitive card readings. The same page notes that she is president of the Chapada dos Veadeiros Therapists Association. Her home page states that she has over 20 years of experience in mediumship, clairvoyance and holistic healing.
The 90-minute first meeting reflects a simple idea: the first time you meet someone online, you need room to arrive, to tell your story and to close the session calmly. After that, the 1-hour format keeps follow-ups focused. Marinice's sessions are complementary practices; she does not present them as a replacement for medical or mental health care, and anyone dealing with a health problem, burnout or a mental health crisis should keep a doctor or psychologist at the center of their care.
Frequently asked questions about 90-minute online sessions
How long is Marinice Vieira's first online session?
Marinice Vieira's First Online Session lasts 1 hr 30 min, according to her treatments page. The extra time compared with her 1-hour follow-ups covers the intake conversation, the practice itself and a calm close, so the first video call does not have to rush any of the three.
How long are follow-up online sessions?
Follow-up online sessions with Marinice Vieira, listed as the Standard Online Healing Session, last 1 hr. A follow-up builds on what was learned in the first meeting, so it can go straight to the current focus without repeating the full intake conversation.
Why not make every session 90 minutes?
Not every session needs 90 minutes, because follow-ups carry less ground than a first meeting. Research reported by Therapy Today found no proven ideal session length, so the sensible approach is to match length to the job: 90 minutes for intake and depth, 60 minutes for focused continuity.
Is a 90-minute video call too tiring?
A 90-minute video call is manageable when you reduce the screen load. Stanford's Jeremy Bailenson links video fatigue to close-up eye gaze, self-view and limited movement, so hiding self-view, sitting farther from the screen and avoiding meetings right before and after makes a long session far less draining.
Do online sessions work as well as in-person sessions?
Online sessions can build a strong working relationship. A 2024 meta-analysis of 18 publications in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare found no statistically significant difference in therapeutic alliance between video and in-person psychotherapy. Holistic sessions are a different practice, but the finding shows that a screen does not prevent a real connection.
What happens in the first minutes of a 90-minute session?
The first minutes of a 90-minute session are usually spent arriving and talking. This is when you share what brings you, what you hope for and anything you prefer to avoid. Harvard research showing minds wander 46.9% of waking hours explains why this settling time matters before deeper work.
Can energy healing work at a distance?
Marinice Vieira offers remote energy healing sessions by video call, and many clients choose this format. The scientific evidence is limited: the NCCIH states that there is no scientific evidence supporting the existence of the energy field, so remote energy work should be understood as a spiritual and complementary practice.
Is a holistic session a substitute for therapy or medical care?
No. A holistic session is a complementary practice and never a substitute for medical or psychological treatment. The NCCIH advises against using complementary approaches in place of conventional care or delaying a visit to a doctor. Keep your doctor or psychologist informed and continue any treatment you already follow.
Is Reiki or energy healing safe?
The NCCIH states that Reiki has not been shown to have any harmful effects, while also saying it has not been clearly shown to be effective for any health-related purpose. The main risk is indirect: relying on energy work instead of seeking medical care when you need it.
What do I need for an online session?
You need a device with a camera and microphone, a stable internet connection, a private room and about two hours blocked in your calendar for a 90-minute session. Water, a notebook and a blanket nearby help you stay comfortable without leaving the call.
Should I keep my camera on the whole time?
You can usually keep your camera on, but you do not need to watch yourself. Jeremy Bailenson recommends hiding self-view once your framing is right. If eye strain builds, ask whether a short audio-only moment is possible, as Bailenson suggests for long calls.
How should I prepare emotionally for a first session?
Prepare emotionally by writing down two or three situations or questions you want to explore and anything you prefer not to touch. Arrive a few minutes early, take some slow breaths and remember that you decide how much to share during a first session.
What should I do right after the session?
Right after the session, stay away from screens and demanding calls for a while. Drink water, take a short walk and write down what stood out. The Microsoft Human Factors Lab study showed that breaks between video calls kept stress markers steady instead of letting them build.
Can I book a 90-minute session if I am not a new client?
Marinice Vieira's site lists the 1 hr 30 min format as the First Online Session for online work and the Physical Healing Session for in-person work. If you are a returning client who feels you need more time, ask her directly through her contact page when booking.
How do I book a session with Marinice Vieira?
You book a session with Marinice Vieira through the Book link on her contact page, which opens her Calendly calendar. You can also write to marinice.fiorenza@gmail.com or call +55 41 99287 6783 to ask questions before you choose a time.
Does Marinice Vieira work with clients outside Brazil?
Yes. Marinice Vieira works online by video call, which lets clients join from other countries. Her home page says she is available in person, online or by appointment during her travels, and in-person sessions take place in Alto Paraíso de Goiás.
What approaches can a 90-minute session include?
A 90-minute session can include conversation and the approaches Marinice Vieira lists on her about page: energy healing, sacred rituals, Quantum Healing and intuitive card readings. The mix depends on what the client brings, since she describes every session as tailored to the person.
Is 90 minutes better than 60 minutes for every person?
No. Ninety minutes is not better for everyone. A 2015 trial in Behavior Therapy found 60-minute PTSD exposure sessions noninferior to the standard 90-minute format, though with less habituation. Length should match the purpose: 90 minutes suits first meetings and complex issues, 60 minutes suits focused follow-ups.
What if I start feeling overwhelmed during a session?
If you feel overwhelmed during a session, say so and pause. A 90-minute session leaves room to slow down, breathe and return to the conversation. If distress is intense or ongoing, contact a mental health professional or local emergency services, because a holistic session is not crisis care.
How often should I book follow-up sessions?
There is no fixed rule for how often to book follow-up sessions. Many people space sessions to leave time to notice changes between them. Agree on a rhythm with Marinice Vieira at the end of your first session, based on your goals, schedule and budget.
Conclusion
A 90-minute session makes the difference when it is the first meeting: it gives you time to arrive, to be heard and to close calmly, instead of compressing all three into a rushed call. Marinice Vieira's menu reflects this, with a First Online Session of 1 hr 30 min followed by 1-hour sessions, and research from Microsoft's Human Factors Lab shows why protecting the edges of a video call keeps stress from building up. If you are ready for your first meeting, use the contact page to book a session with Marinice Vieira, and keep your doctor or psychologist at the center of any health care you need.
How to cite this article
APA: Vieira, M. (2026, October 27). Why a 90-minute session makes the difference. Marinice Vieira Blog. https://www.marinicevieira.com/post/why-a-90-minute-session-makes-the-difference
Chicago: Vieira, Marinice. "Why a 90-Minute Session Makes the Difference." Marinice Vieira Blog, October 27, 2026. https://www.marinicevieira.com/post/why-a-90-minute-session-makes-the-difference.
References
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