Virtual reality can reduce therapists' fears about exposure therapy

Article excerpt

Therapists often avoid exposure therapy, a proven treatment for anxiety and PTSD, because they themselves feel anxious about it. Researchers at Bradley Hospital tested whether virtual reality training could change that. They found that VR immersion made therapists more confident in the technique and shifted their negative beliefs about it more effectively than traditional classroom instruction. The study, published in JMIR Medical Education, is among the first to measure how immersion depth in VR training affects therapist confidence. By addressing therapists' own fears, the researchers identified a potentially significant barrier to a treatment that could help millions.