By Lydia Sterry | Submitted 2024
This is not an academic paper as such but could be seen more as a practical blog to explore using existential virtual reality in a therapeutic setting with clients.
What is Existential Virtual Reality Therapy (EVRT)?
It can be a powerful tool to use in therapy as it allows clients to explore existential themes and engage in immersive experiences that can facilitate personal growth and self-reflection. Some general steps to consider when using Existential VR in therapy include:
~Creating a safe and comfortable environment:
Ensure that the therapy room or space is conducive to VR experiences. Set up the necessary VR equipment, such as headsets and controllers, and ensure they are working properly. Create a calm and supportive atmosphere to help the client feel safe and at ease during the session.
~Introducing the VR experience:
Explain the purpose and nature of the virtual reality experience to the client. Provide instructions on how to use the VR equipment and navigate within the virtual environment. Address any concerns or questions the client may have.
~Asking the client to choose a VR experience:
Choosing a virtual reality experience that aligns with where the client is at can be therapeutic in itself. There are various VR applications and programs available that can simulate different existential scenarios or provide contemplative random environments.
~Encouraging immersion and exploration:
Encourage the client to fully immerse themselves in the virtual environment and explore the existential themes or other scenarios. Support them to engage with the virtual world, interact with objects or characters, and reflect on their experiences.
~Being open to themes or issues the client wants to explore:
The scope of what may arise from the VR experience is endless. Some themes may include the meaning of life, freedom, mortality, authenticity or possibility something completely different.
~Facilitating reflection and discussion:
After the VR experience, provide time for the client to reflect on their emotions, thoughts, and insights. Encourage them to express their experiences and discuss their reactions to the existential or other themes presented in the virtual environment.
~Relate experiences to real-life:
Help the client connect their virtual experiences to their real-life situations and challenges. Explore how the insights gained in the virtual world can be applied to their daily life, relationships, and personal growth.
~Follow-up and integration:
Incorporate the learnings from the VR therapy session into subsequent therapy sessions. Discuss the impact of the VR experience on the client's overall therapeutic journey and identify any ongoing work or goals related to the themes explored.
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It's important to note that using Existential VR in therapy needs to be facilitated by trained professionals who are experienced in both VR technology and existential therapy. The therapist needs to be prepared to provide appropriate support throughout the process to ensure the therapeutic benefits are maximized and potential challenges are addressed.
Can changing the face of where the therapy takes place widen the therapist's understanding of a client WORLD?
For some clients to truly understand therapeutic concepts, the therapist may want to translate them from the traditional, adult-oriented talking therapies into a form that is more aligned with, not the therapists’ but the client's 'playful' interests/settings.
If the VR is aligned with the client's preference, it may be another option to use to break free from the therapist's natural biased choice of 'space' and more towards the client’s actual preferred space. For example, the client may not choose to be stuck in a small room or to sit on brown chairs or even to be in a particular colour scheme.
They may have more choice in the VR to choose outdoors or unreachable settings such as sitting on the surface of the moon.
Can using the VR widen the therapist's perspective of the client?
As therapists, our role involves trying to understand the client's world from their perspective. We may try to do this in traditional ways, for example:
~We may use different types of questions and a variation of techniques to see what suits the client
~We may make an effort to try to understand the client's responses, emotions, expressions and certain individual characteristics
~We may learn how to ‘be’ or ‘play’ with the client and eventually when and how to understand or interpret what they might be saying underneath their interactions.
These are some of the many ways therapists may to try to appreciate a client's point of view. We may try to do this in the best way we can, but the reality is, it can sometimes be difficult to reach, step into or even leap across to understand the impact of the client's world.
Often, a therapist may question:
"How much am I really trying to extend myself to try to understand their world?"
"How close am I to truthfully moving closer to understanding this client's circle?"
"Am I really making sense of their experiences?"
"How much am I balancing challenging and supporting to bear the possible stress of it?"
"How much am I containing it?"
"How much am I really facilitating a 'tailor made' therapeutic environment?"
It can be difficult to answer these questions but working with the client's preferences around or inside the VR may illuminate their internal world in different and surprising ways.
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In the end, it might be best to remember that the VR is still a human experience, regardless of whether the client believes it to be real or imagined.
The whole VR process still incorporates human components, human connection and human involvement aspects.
This tends to create different moments in therapy that might not otherwise be able to be facilitated with using other traditional therapy tools.
There are so many different ways to experiment with the therapeutic space with clients and therapists maybe surprised at how virtual reality could be one of the many options to choose from, to 'reach in', in a different way towards a client's actual experiences, interests and preferences.
Overall, the Existential VR tends to lead to different, insightful contributions to the therapy process while playing, exploring and expanding on general or difficult therapeutic themes. It could be used as an alternative approach for segments of therapy to create positive changes with clients, as well as to contribute to alternative ways to draw out the client’s world.
If you would like to know more about using Existential VR in therapy simply email progressiveprocess@live.com.au or click here to book your free online consultation.