Mind VR is a groundbreaking virtual reality treatment for young people with depression and anxiety. Co-designed with practising clinicians and young people with lived experience, the app translates key techniques from mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into fun, deeply immersive activities.
HOW MIND VR WORKS
Mind VR harnesses a psychological technique called decentering to help young people detach from and stop struggling with negative thoughts. This can reduce the intensity of their emotional responses to inner experiences while increasing their awareness of the thought processes behind them.
By creating engaging and memorable learning experiences, Mind VR seeks to equip young people with the skills they need to overcome distressing symptoms of depression and anxiety in their everyday life.
MIND VR in CliniCAL PRactice
Clinicians can use Mind VR within therapy sessions to help young people learn and practice core skills in a more engaging way. It provides opportunities to improve treatment engagement, reduce drop out, and deliver a more effective experiential learning that can translate to greater improvements in the real world.
Clinical trial and evaluation
Mind VR is being evaluated through a multi-site clinical trial delivered in partnership with youth mental health services in Queensland. The study examines how the program can be integrated into routine care, as well as its acceptability, feasibility and impact for young people receiving treatment for depression and anxiety.
The trial has seen strong engagement from both clinicians and young people, with participants reporting that the immersive format provides a novel and engaging way to learn and practise therapeutic skills. Insights from the study are helping to build the evidence base for virtual reality as a tool to support youth mental health care.
As the research progresses, work is underway to prepare Mind VR for broader implementation. This includes developing a facilitator package and support materials to help clinicians confidently integrate the program into practice. Further information about future access to Mind VR will be shared as the trial progresses.
The Telstra FOundation
Orygen Digital and the Mind VR team greatly appreciate our long-term partnership with the Telstra Foundation and their ongoing financial support. Their commitment to innovation in youth mental health has been instrumental in enabling the development and evaluation of Mind VR.
our other partners
From inception through to our ongoing research and development, Mind VR would not have been possible without all of our valued partners.
Funding
- Queensland Mental Health Commission
- Jeffrey Rowe Faulkner Bequest
Research
Clinical services
Industry
As we look toward the next phase of implementation, we are actively seeking additional partners who are interested in supporting the expansion of this innovative program to reach more young people and clinicians.
If you're interested in partnering with us please get in touch via [email protected]
Published research
A Virtual Reality–Based Cognitive Defusion Application for Youth Depression and Anxiety: Mixed Methods Experimental Study