Category Archives: Virtual Reality Therapy

Watch a Mother Reunite With Her Deceased Child in VR (incl. video)

February 7, 2020Presence, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality Therapycounseling, emotional resilience training, reminiscence therapy, well-beingadmin

“In 2016, Jang Ji-sung’s seven-year-old daughter Nayeon died of an incurable disease.

Three years later, the South Korean mother was reunited with Nayeon — sort of — in a virtual world created for a televised documentary.

The Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation shared a clip from the special documentary, titled “I Met You,” on its YouTube page, with the footage cutting between the “real world” and the virtual one.”

By Kristin Houser for Futurism.com

Image & Video: Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation

VR Exposure Therapy Provides Treatment Option for PTSD (incl. video)

February 5, 2020Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Cyberpsychology, PTSD, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality Therapyanxiety management, cognitive behavioural therapy, exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), VR treatment of anxiety disordersadmin

“The University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) is an academic research center that combines creative narrative with advanced immersive techniques such as virtual reality to provide veterans with urgently needed options in the treatment of conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Treatments with immersive technologies like virtual reality involve exposure therapy.

The patient dealing with PTSD or other disorders is encouraged to confront traumatic memories in virtual settings with the help of a trained therapist.”

By Sonya Haskins for VR Fitness Insider

Image & Video: Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT)

The weirdest VR experience yet could make you happier (incl. video)

August 17, 2019Clinical Psychology, Cyberpsychology, Dissociation, Identity, Out of Body Experiences, Presence, Self-Consciousness, Uncategorized, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality Therapyclinical Psychology, Gestalt therapy, Psychology, self-to-self experience, VR for empathy training, VR treatment of anxiety disordersadmin

“A new study asked participants to play the role of virtual therapist for themselves—and the results suggest that VR could be an effective therapeutic device for some people.

[The] study, conducted at the University of Barcelona by VR researchers and clinical psychologists … found that immediately after body swapping with Freud and counseling themselves in virtual reality, about 80% of the 29 participants reported feeling like they had a different perspective on their problem and that this would result in a change in the way they dealt with it.

Mel Slater, a professor at the University of Barcelona, co-director of the Experimental Virtual Environments for Neuroscience and Technology Lab, and the lead author of the paper [says] “The critical difference with the body swapping is you can think about it as if you’re another person listening to someone else’s problem …. That’s really what makes a difference.”

By Katherine Schwab at Fastcompany.com

Virtual Reality Helps Dementia Patients Recall Memories (incl. video)

May 18, 2019Clinical Psychology, Dementia, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality TherapyAlzheimer's, Dementia, mindfulness, reminiscence therapyadmin

“Virtual reality (VR) therapy may vastly improve the lives of people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, a small new study from the University of Kent, U.K., has found.

Specifically, researchers found that exposing people with dementia to virtual reality environments helped them recall old memories, reduced aggression and improved their interactions with caregivers.

“VR can clearly have positive benefits for patients with dementia, their families, and caregivers. It provides a richer and more satisfying quality of life than is otherwise available, with many positive outcomes,” explains Dr. Jim Ang, PhD, one of the study’s researchers.”

By Jill Provost for BeingPatient.com

Image & video by Being Patient

Virtual reality PTSD therapy demonstrated at Glenrose Hospital (incl. video)

February 16, 2019Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Cyberpsychology, Health, Presence, PTSD, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality Therapyexposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), virtual reality exposure therapyadmin

“Virtual reality therapy for post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) was demonstrated at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton HiMARC’s Motion-Assisted Multi-Modal Memory Desensitization and Reconsolidation (3MDR) has patients walk on a treadmill toward the stimulus, sounds and images that may remind them of events that brought on traumatic memories.

The therapist is with them through this experience, guiding, directing and asking them a series of questions as the soldier or veteran confronts these memories.

“It was incredible. I don’t know how else to describe it. My senses were heightened. I was even sensitive to the clanging sound of the carabiner on my harness,” Capt. Anna Harpe said after experiencing the 3MDR system.

By Larry Wong, Edmonton Journal

Using VR To Replace Pain Medication For Seriously Ill Children (incl. video)

December 29, 2018Cyberpsychology, Health, Mindfulness, Presence, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality Therapyanxiety management, mindfulness, mood modification, pain and anxiety management, pain distraction in burns therapy, patient care, Rehabilitation, virtual reality for pain relief, virtual reality pain distractionadmin

‘Starlight is a well-known charity organization with the mission to create “moments of joy and comfort for hospitalized kids and their families” through a variety of initiatives [which] include bringing the magic of virtual reality to the hospital.

Chris Helfrich, CEO of Starlight in an interview with UploadVR [said] “We see children getting immersed in VR during painful medical procedures and the immersive distraction therapy lessens the need for heavy painkillers and anesthesia. VR can even take the place of pain killers in some cases.”

“Just because you’re in the hospital doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to experience the wonder and magic of child life,” says Helfrich.

By David Jagneaux at UploadVR

Image & video by Starlight

Virtual reality can change lives in social care (incl. video)

December 23, 2018Dementia, Health, Mindfulness, Presence, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality Therapyanxiety in older people, Dementia, relaxation techniques, reminiscence, VR experience for people with disabilities, VR for special needs, VR meditation, vr relaxationadmin

“Technology now offers many ways of assisting or enhancing care, changing the way in which we support people.

Tricuro [a social care provider owned by Dorset CC, Bournmeouth BC and the Borough of Poole have had] over 100 clients taken through virtual reality experiences across residential and day services … to conduct trials in pain management, wellbeing and structured reminiscence.

Keeping [people] happier and healthier for longer is the goal, and virtual reality and other emerging tech gives new tools to explore new and alternative ways of achieving this.”

By Richard Dolan at Tricuro.

Image and video by Tricuro.

VR Helps Children Combat the Fear Of MRI Scans (incl. video)

October 31, 2018Clinical Psychology, Cyberpsychology, Presence, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality Therapyanxiety attacks, anxiety management strategies, anxiety reduction, Exposure Therapy, exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, stress management, stress reduction, virtual reality exposure therapyadmin

“King’s College Hospital [have] created a VR experience to help with the ‎claustrophobic nature of an MRI scan.

Young children are often terrified and traumatised by the procedure and refuse to go into the MRI machine.

In order to lower this fear, a new virtual reality app has been created in the UK. Its aim is to help NHS workers to manage the fears of young children who require medical treatment.”

By Jackie Edwards for VR Focus

Image and video by Vocativ

How virtual reality gaming can help people living with dementia (incl. video)

September 1, 2018Cyberpsychology, Dementia, Presence, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality TherapyAlzheimer's disease, anxiety in older people, Dementiaadmin

“Virtual reality is being used across the world to help people with dementia, and to give friends, family member and carers an insight into what everyday life can be like for those with the condition.

A video shared on Youtube, aims to show how virtual reality system ImmersiCare can improve the wellbeing of those living with dementia.

The software, which transports people in an alternative, virtual world, has been used as a form of therapeutic engagement for residents with dementia, in a partnership between Immersicare and UK care home group Quantum Care. “

Text by the Yorkshire Post

Image & video by ImmersiCare Studios

Patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or other anxiety conditions are finding real solutions in a virtual world (incl. video)

July 28, 2018Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Cyberpsychology, PTSD, Virtual Environments, Virtual Reality Therapyobsessive-compulsive disorder, phobia therapy, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, virtual reality exposure therapyadmin

“Patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or other anxiety conditions are finding real solutions in a virtual world.

Stéphane Bouchard, Canada Research Chair in clinical cyberpsychology has demonstrated how a virtual tour of an animated space can help people battle their personal demons.

Afraid of spiders?

Virtual reality therapy allows patients to confront spiders, a bit at a time, with visuals so real in a three-dimensional, computer-simulated environment as to evoke the same emotions as the real thing.”

By Wayne Scanlan at Ottawa Citizen

Image and video by Errol McGihon

XENODU

Virtual Environments for Personal and Social Development