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VR
Virtual Reality

 

Virtual Reality (VR) therapy allows people to experience real-life scenarios that may typically cause distress online with their provider. VR allows the provider to evaluate and identify a person's fears and anxieties within the safety of a controlled setting, which can be used to facilitate treatment for anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD, stressor-related disorder, and somatic symptom disorders. Examples of VR therapy might include facing your fear of contamination, heights, animals, medical appointments or blood draws, driving, public speaking, exams or school, darkness, flying, tight spaces, social situations or crowds, and more. 

Woman using the virtual reality headset.jpg

Benefits of VR include that it can reduce dropouts, costs, and time; improves confidentiality compared to in vivo ("real life") exposures; and is scientifically validated.* You do not need to purchase an expensive VR headset to do VR therapy either. Much more affordable universal VR headsets can be purchased that work with any Smart Phone (iOS or Android). 

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Samples of VR Research Articles:

  • Benbow, A.A., & Anderson, P.L. (2019). A meta-analytic examination of attrition in virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 61, 18-26.

  • Fernandez, E., Salem, D., Swift, J.K., & Ramtahal, N. (2015). Meta-analysis of dropout from cognitive behavioral therapy: Magnitude, timing, and moderators. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83(6), 1108-1122.

  • Marples-Keller, J.L., Bunnell Brian., E., Kim, S.J., & Rothbaum, B.O. (2017). The use of virtual reality technology in the treatment of anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 25(3), 103-113.

  • Morina, N., Ijntema, H., Meyerbröker, K., Emmelkamp, P.M.G. (2015). Can virtual reality exposure therapy gains be generalized to real-life? A meta-analysis of studies applying behavioral assessments. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 74, 18-24.

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