Virtual Reality Therapy Arlington & Tyson's Corner
Virtual Reality Therapy
What is Virtual Reality (VR) Therapy?
MPS is excited to offer Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT)! VR Therapy is an innovative treatment method that uses a virtual reality (VR) headset and PsyTech VR’s software program to create immersive, controlled environments in which individuals can confront mental health challenges. VRT has shown to be effective in treating phobias (agoraphobia, driving or flying phobias, social phobia, etc.), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and related disorders.
Key Benefits of VR include:
- Phobias: VRT gradually exposes individuals to anxiety-inducing situations in a controlled environment, which allows individuals to build up their distress tolerance and can lead to an overall reduction of anxiety symptoms.
- OCD: For OCD, VRT allows patients to face their fears and compulsions in a contained virtual environment, which can lead to increased participation in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy protocols.
- PTSD: Veterans, first responders, medical professionals and trauma survivors can relive traumatic events in a safe, controlled way. This can help them process their experiences and can lead to a reduction of post-traumatic stress symptoms.
- VRT uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tailor environments to the needs of each individual. Tailoring change to Individualized treatment allows the client and therapist to target specific triggers. As the symptoms improve, the intensity of the exposure is increased until the individual achieves their desired outcome.
- The immersive nature of VR (makes it easier for) easily allows individuals to engage in the treatment process. The realistic nature of the virtual environments can help individuals confront their biggest fears more effectively vs. talk therapy alone.
- Therapists can monitor a patient’s physiological and emotional responses in real-time, which allows for quick and immediate adjustments to the treatment protocol. This helps clients and therapists accurately track progress regularly and adjust the treatment plan as needed.
- For some people, the mere idea of confronting real-life situations that trigger anxiety feels too overwhelming. Oftentimes, this fear prohibits them from seeking out help and pursuing treatment. VRT offers individuals a safe, private way to participate in therapy which can be more approachable and less intimidating.
- In combination with CBT and other modes of traditional therapy, VRT is an affordable addition to your treatment protocol. VRT can potentially accelerate treatment progress and lead to shorter durations in therapy, which can reduce the overall cost of treatment.
- VRT can incorporate gamification and other engaging elements that can make therapy more appealing.
- Research on VRT has found that VR is advantageous to CBT and traditional exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy protocols alone. VRT is scalable, approachable, easily accessible, and progress tends to be maintained over time. Check out the research HERE.
Incorporating VR into therapy can increase the ease, tolerance, and effectiveness of treatment for anxiety disorders. It allows for personalized, gradual, and immersive exposure practices that are oftentimes preferred by patients over in vivo or imaginal exposure. VR protocols can lead to faster symptom alleviation and improved treatment outcomes for individuals suffering from a variety of mental health challenges.
Ready to see how VRT can help you? Contact us today: [email protected].