---
title: "Resources: Therapy Questions Answered | McFadden Institute"
url: https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources
description: "Plain answers to the questions people ask before starting therapy: online sessions, first sessions, trauma, grief, burnout and choosing a therapist."
lang: en
---

Resources

# Resources

Before anyone books a first session, there are usually questions. Some are practical: does therapy by video actually work, what happens in the first 90 minutes, how many sessions will this take. Some are harder to say out loud: do I have to go back through it, does feeling better mean forgetting them, is this burnout or something heavier.

These articles are my plain answers. They're written for adults in Florida who are thinking about therapy, whether or not you ever work with me. Nothing here is a diagnosis, and none of it replaces a conversation with a doctor or a clinician who knows your situation.

## How to use these

Read whichever one matches the question you're carrying right now. They're grouped loosely: the practical side of getting started, how trauma and the stress response work, and the heavier territory of grief, low mood and exhaustion. Each one links to related pages if you want to go further.

If you'd rather skip the reading and just ask, that's fine too. The free 15-minute consultation is there for exactly that. No paperwork, no pressure, and you can ask anything about how the work goes.

## A note on honesty

Mental health writing online tends to lean hard on promises. You'll find none here. The site's tagline says healing sometimes takes just one conversation, and the word that matters in that sentence is sometimes. Every person is different, and I'd rather give you an honest picture than a sales pitch.

Where another approach or another kind of care may suit you better, these articles say so. That includes in-person care, weekly long-term therapy, and emergency support.

If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). For emergencies, dial 911.

## Getting started

If you've never done therapy by video, or never done therapy at all, start here. These articles cover whether online trauma work actually holds up, what happens from the first free call through the end of a first session, how to set up your space, how many sessions to expect, and how to choose a trauma therapist in Florida, including how to check a license.

## Trauma and the nervous system

These three explain what's going on underneath. Why the body can stay on alert long after the danger is gone. What patterns suggest an old experience is still active. And the question that keeps many people from starting at all: whether trauma therapy means going back through it. With this work, it doesn't.

## Grief, stress and mood

For the heavier stretches. Whether letting grief ease means letting the person go. Why a date on the calendar, or the start of hurricane season, can bring everything back. And how to tell burnout from depression, including when a doctor should be part of the picture.

## What these articles won't do

They won't diagnose you, and they won't tell you what you have. There are no quizzes or scores here. If something you read sounds familiar, take that as a reason to talk to someone, not as a conclusion. They also won't replace medical care. If you have physical symptoms, new or worrying changes in your mood, or questions about medication, a doctor is the right first stop.

Everything here is written for adults ages 18 to 64 who are in Florida, because that's who I can work with. If you're elsewhere, much of it will still apply, but you'll want to find a clinician licensed where you live.

## Getting started

The practical questions: whether video works, what a first session looks like, how many sessions to expect, and how to choose someone.

- Does online trauma therapy work? → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/does-online-trauma-therapy-work)
  What changes on a screen, what doesn't, and when in-person care is the better choice.
- What to expect in your first session → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/first-session)
  Step by step, from the free consultation to the end of your first 90 minutes.
- How to prepare for a telehealth session → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/preparing-for-telehealth)
  A practical checklist: space, sound, connection, and time to land afterward.
- How many sessions will I need? → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/how-many-sessions)
  An honest answer: it varies, and nobody can tell you in advance.
- How to choose a trauma therapist in Florida → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/choosing-a-trauma-therapist)
  How to check a license, what to ask, and how to judge fit.

## Trauma and the nervous system

How old experiences stay active, why the body keeps bracing, and why this work doesn't ask you to retell what happened.

- Signs of unresolved trauma → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/signs-of-unresolved-trauma)
  Common patterns that suggest an old experience is still active. Not a diagnosis.
- Do I have to relive my trauma in therapy? → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/do-i-have-to-relive-trauma)
  Why this work doesn't ask you to retell it, and how you stay in control.
- Fight, flight or freeze, explained → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/fight-flight-freeze)
  The stress response in plain language, and why it can stay switched on.

## Grief, stress and mood

Grief that won't loosen, hard dates on the calendar, and telling burnout apart from depression.

- Burnout or depression? → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/burnout-vs-depression)
  They overlap, but they aren't the same. How to tell them apart, and when to see a doctor.
- Does letting go of grief mean forgetting? → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/letting-go-of-grief)
  Letting go of the weight isn't letting go of the person.
- Why an anniversary can bring it all back → (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/resources/anniversary-reactions)
  Why a date or a season can stir it all up again, and how to plan for it.

Looking for something specific? The specialties page (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/specialties) covers the concerns I focus on, how RRT works (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/approach) explains the sessions, and who I help (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/who-i-help) describes who the practice is and isn't for.

Image: Dry golden grass seed heads backlit by low warm sun. (https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/__l5e/assets-v1/b17f378a-9aff-42a2-b82d-7558b23fb475/grass-detail.jpg)

Still have a question? Ask it.

Book a free consultation: https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/contact

Rapid Resolution Therapy is a therapeutic approach, not a guarantee of specific results and not a substitute for medical care. Every person's experience is different and individual outcomes vary.

Back to home: https://mcfaddeninstitute.com/

Free consultation · no pressure

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