Clinically reviewed by Miranda Barker, LICSW, LCSW
Have you ever turned down a vacation because you don’t like flying? Denied a road trip because driving is scary? Heck, maybe you despise going into your basement due to those pesky, freaky spiders! Perhaps you’re like me and threw a book through a bedroom door because a centipede was walking across it (true story, I had to buy a new door and everything)! Fear has a nasty habit of running our lives, but virtual reality exposure therapy is flipping that script.
To make things even more tricky, overcoming fears is hard because to overcome them, you have to face them head on and, often, alone. It’s not like you can take your therapist on a plane, right? Well, that used to be true but now… cue the baller music… Virtual Reality enters the chat!
Virtual Reality (VR) has been around for a hot minute at this point, but only in recent years has it been a truly viable piece of technology. When most people think of VR, they often think of video games or cheesy experiences that you can have at the Mall of America but at Ellie Mental Health, we have a different perspective. We are using virtual reality therapy as a professional therapeutic tool to help people take back control of otherwise fearful experiences.
What is VR Therapy?
Virtual reality (VR) therapy is a mental health treatment that uses immersive virtual environments to help people process emotions, confront fears, and build coping skills in a controlled setting. Think of it as exposure therapy meets cutting-edge tech—clients can practice real-world situations in a safe, guided way. It’s been used for everything from phobias and PTSD to mindfulness and stress management. As technology evolves, VR is becoming an increasingly accessible and powerful tool in mental health care.
How VR Therapy Works
VR therapy works by immersing clients in a virtual environment tailored to their therapeutic needs. Using a VR headset and handheld controllers, individuals can engage in guided scenarios designed to help them process emotions, confront fears, or practice coping strategies. A therapist customizes the experience, adjusting difficulty levels and providing support in real-time. Because everything happens in a controlled setting, clients can work through challenges at their own pace, with the reassurance that they can pause or step back at any time.
For example, someone with a fear of public speaking might start by standing in a virtual empty room, gradually progressing to speaking in front of a small virtual audience. Over time, the therapist might increase the challenge by adding distractions or a larger crowd, helping the client build confidence and resilience. This step-by-step approach aligns closely with exposure therapy, a well-established method for treating anxiety and phobias. The key difference is that VR therapy offers a safe, repeatable, and fully customizable environment—making exposure more accessible and less intimidating than real-world practice.
Virtual Reality as Therapy for Mental Health Treatment
VR therapy is sometimes called “fear therapy” because of its ability to help people gradually face and overcome anxiety-provoking situations in a safe, controlled way. By immersing clients in realistic yet customizable environments, it’s especially effective for conditions like phobias, PTSD, and social anxiety. But its usefulness goes beyond fear! VR is also being used for mindfulness, stress management, and even pain reduction in therapy. The next sections explore how VR therapy is transforming mental health treatment across different areas.
VR for PTSD
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy is helpful for PTSD and healing from past traumas. By immersing clients in controlled virtual environments that simulate aspects of their traumatic experiences, VR therapy allows them to gradually confront distressing memories in a safe, guided way. It follows the same principles as traditional exposure therapy but adds an interactive, immersive element that can make the process feel more manageable and engaging.
Research backs up its effectiveness. One study found that VRET significantly reduced PTSD symptoms, with some participants no longer meeting the criteria for diagnosis after treatment. Another 2024 study showed that combining VR exposure with brain stimulation led to even greater improvements, especially for military veterans, and had higher efficacy rates than traditional exposure therapy.
VR for Phobias
Whether it’s a fear of flying, heights, spiders, or public speaking, VR lets clients interact with their specific phobia in a virtual setting while their therapist guides them through the process. Because it’s customizable and repeatable, clients can ease into exposure at their own pace without the pressure of real-world consequences.
And the research backs it up. This article reviewed studies that compared VR therapy and traditional exposure therapy, and it found that VR therapy is just as effective for treating phobias, with some studies suggesting it might even have extra benefits. Another study found that people with social phobia saw significant, lasting improvements after VR therapy. As VR keeps evolving, it’s making exposure therapy more accessible—and maybe even a little less intimidating.
VR for Anxiety Disorders
Virtual reality isn’t just effective for phobias and trauma. Recent studies also show VR’s effectiveness with anxiety. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that VR found significant improvements in symptoms for people with severe anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Additionally, a systematic review indicated that self-guided VR interventions effectively reduced symptoms of social anxiety disorder, public speaking anxiety, and specific phobias, with positive user experiences and low attrition rates. These findings suggest that VR therapy offers an effective approach to anxiety treatment.
VR for Depression
As therapists are using VR therapy more and more with clients, we are seeing its effectiveness across different diagnoses, including depression. VR therapy immerses individuals in interactive environments that promote mood improvement and coping strategies. Through guided virtual experiences, patients can practice mindfulness, reframe negative thoughts, and engage in activities that boost motivation.
Research supports its effectiveness. One particular study from 2019 found that VR interventions can help reduce depressive symptoms by translating CBT techniques (like psychoeducation and cognitive restructuring) into virtual reality experiences.
The Benefits of Virtual Reality Therapy
- Controlled Environment
- Controlled Exposure
- Personalized Treatment
1. Controlled Environment
As previously discussed, VR therapy offers a level of control that traditional exposure therapy can’t. In real-world settings, variables are unpredictable—VR allows therapists to adjust intensity, ensuring a gradual, personalized approach. This control allows for a more gradual, personalized approach.
Clients appreciate that they can start with lower-intensity exposures and work their way up at their own pace, reducing the risk of being retraumatized or overwhelmed. VR also ensures consistency—each session replicates the exact scenario needed, something that’s nearly impossible to guarantee in real life. This makes exposure therapy more accessible, flexible, and tailored to each person’s unique needs.
2. Controlled Exposure
VR therapy gives therapists and clients more control over the exposure process, making it a safer and more adaptable approach than traditional exposure therapy. In real-world settings, exposure can be unpredictable—clients might face unexpected triggers or overwhelming situations. With VR, therapists can tailor the experience, adjusting intensity and pacing to match the client’s comfort level.
This level of control allows for gradual, repeatable exposure without the risk of overstimulation. Clients can build confidence at their own pace, knowing they won’t be thrown into a situation they’re not ready for. It also ensures consistency, making progress easier to track and refine over time.
3. Personalized Treatment
With the controlled environment therapists are able to offer highly personalized treatment, adapting exposure to each client’s specific needs and progress. Therapists can adjust factors like intensity, duration, and specific triggers, ensuring a gradual and manageable approach. This flexibility helps clients build confidence at their own pace while minimizing distress, making treatment more effective and tailored to individual goals.
VR Therapy with Ellie Mental Health
Virtual Reality (VR) has been around for a hot minute at this point, but only in recent years has it been a truly viable piece of technology.
At Ellie Mental Health, we’re using virtual reality as a professional therapeutic tool to help people take back control of otherwise fearful experiences.
In creating the VRT program at Ellie, we pulled over 30 peer-reviewed research papers from the last 5 years.
Our process is based on Systematic Desensitization and evidence-based Exposure Response Prevention methods. This includes creating what we call a SUDS (Subjective Units of Discomfort Scale) Ladder. Meaning, we determine a series of steps that are increasingly more distressing and work our way through it.
Intrigued? Virtual reality therapy is seriously amazing! Learn more about VRT with Ellie Mental Health.
