VR Anxiety Management Program

Anxiety affects people in many ways, impacting on their quality of life within their relationships, work or school.
At Anastasi Psychology, we aim to support our clients to learn the strategies to manage their anxiety, building their skills and confidence until they are able to begin to face their anxiety. One of the ways we aim to do this is by running an anxiety clinic, focused on developing the skills necessary to manage anxiety before using Virtual Reality as a way for clients to practice facing their anxiety in a safe and controlled environment.
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) has been found to be an effective and efficient treatment method for anxiety and stress disorders. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy provides both exposure-based therapeutic procedures and anxiety management techniques, the two most effective types of therapy for anxiety, phobias and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It has also been found to be effective for assisting with Addiction as well as Anger Management.
VRET Therapeutic Techniques
VRET typically follows a traditional Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) approach for managing anxiety concerns but can be interchanged with other therapies where there is an exposure element of treatment. For example, mindfulness-based interventions which also involve exposure to the anxiety trigger may utilise VRET to help create a virtual trigger.
CBT typically involves learning anxiety management strategies, such as Breathing, engaging in enjoyable activities (Behavioural Activation) to help bolster mood, which learning ways to manage anxious thoughts (Cognitive Restructuring). This is then followed by exposure based interventions.
Exposure-based therapeutic procedures include:
- Imagining the scary situation.
- Talking about the scary situation.
- Gradually experiencing the scary situation with a trained psychologist in a safe environment through ‘in vivo’ exposure, either by imagining the situation, looking at pictures or videos of the anxiety, or with Virtual Reality.
- Anxiety management techniques include:
- Managing fear related thoughts
- Breathing retraining
- Relaxation training
What is the VR Anxiety Clinic at Anastasi Psychology?
- The VR Anxiety Clinic is an anxiety intervention, delivered individually to clients, across 10 sessions, with 2 optional follow up sessions at 1 month and 4 months post intervention.
- It follows a traditional CBT anxiety treatment protocol, with the addition of VR technology to facilitate learning relaxation and breathing skills in addition to providing opportunities for exposure.
- It is designed to focus on one primary anxiety at a time, building the skills to manage that anxiety, which may then be transferable to other anxieties present.
What is the aim of the program?
- To provide short to moderate term intervention of anxiety, for individuals aged 12yrs and older.
- To support clients with exposure tasks that they may have typically avoided in the past, by allowing exposure to occur in a safe and supported space.
- To teach transferable anxiety management skills, that may support in other life areas.
- To make anxiety treatment more engaging, and potentially ‘fun’ through using VR technology.
What types of anxiety/conditions do you treat?
There are a number of different anxieties and conditions that we can support with, including:
- Phobias
- Animal and insect Phobia’s
- Hygiene related Phobia’s
- Medical Procedure Phobia’s
- Needle Phobia’s
- Confined Spaces and Heights
- Driving Phobia’s
- Social Anxiety
- Panic Attack
- Generalised Anxiety
- Addiction
- Anger Management and Road Rage
Unsure if we can help? Submit an enquiry and we can let you know if it is something we can help with.
Who is it not for?
Clients are not suitable for this program under the following conditions:
- Applicants are under the age of 12.
- Applicants are unable to understand the benefits and risks associated with intervention.
- Applicants have complex mental health concerns, in addition to anxiety.
Clients who experience VR sickness are offered the program without the use of VR.
What if VRET isn’t For Me?
That’s ok, Virtual Reality is simply a tool to help with learning to manage and overcome anxiety. There are other interventions and alternative ways to engage in ‘exposure’ to help alleviate anxiety symptoms. You and your Psychologist will assess together which approach is best for you.