How to Get Started With VR Therapy
A Call for Counselor Competency
HIGHLIGHTS FROM AMHCA ’ S 2023 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
CUTTING-EDGE SESSION Using VR to Enhance Your Therapy Practice
continued from page 17
According to Amelia Virtual Care , some clients also experience slight dizziness , blurred vision , eye strain , or headaches . A very small percentage of clients ( i . e ., 0.025 %) may also experience seizures , nausea , or disorientation when using VR .
Personally , I do not generally favor using VR therapy for clients who have gaming and fantasy addictions , because it seems counterproductive to introduce them to another medium in which gaming and fantasy are even more immersive . I also tend to avoid it with clients with compulsive or addictive use of pornography , as 3D VR pornography is readily accessible and may feel even more life-like .
How to Get Started With VR Therapy
You and your clients can access VR technology for therapeutic purposes in three ways :
• Using the client ’ s smartphone as a screen that can be inserted into a smartphone VR headset . VR headsets can be purchased inexpensively on www . Amazon . com for between $ 10 to $ 50 , depending on the features you want . The client would download one or more VR apps on their phone , enable “ VR mode ” on their phone , and then insert their phone into the headset . You may find videos in the YouTube VR video library that can be used for exposure exercises . This is an affordable way for you and your clients to access VR for sessions and for therapeutic homework .
• Using Commercial VR headsets , which tend to range in cost from about $ 300 to as much as $ 1,000 . A lot of people prefer models such as the Meta Quest 3 ( released in October and priced at $ 500 to $ 650 ), Meta Quest Pro , or HTC VIVE , which are completely portable and do not need to connect to a computer or other device . One drawback to the use of commercial headsets is that they are not specifically designed for healthcare applications , so therapists cannot meet with clients in virtual space without potentially violating HIPAA / HITECH regulations and should therefore exclusively use the headset when the client is physically in the therapy office or as therapeutic homework instead of remote counseling .
A company called Meta Wellness ( https :// www . metawellness . space /), however , offers to rent or sell therapists a VR office in which they can meet with their clients in a HIPAA-compliant setting . Offices can be filled with objects for play therapy , the therapist ’ s logo on the wall , a basketball court outside allowing therapists and clients to “ shoot hoops ” while processing , and a beachside for walk-and-talk therapy , all without compromising confidentiality .
• Using a VR headset and platform that is specifically designed for therapy , such as those offered by Amelia Virtual Care ( www . ameliavirtualcare . com ). This is a somewhat costly option for therapists , as it ranges from $ 250 to $ 350 a month with a minimum contract of 12 months . However , the Amelia platform offers therapists :
Ownership of a VR headset for in-person sessions ,
A range of therapeutic environments and exercises with a great degree of customization options ,
The ability to assess progress using subjective units of distress ( SUDs ),
Extensive and complimentary training opportunities and opportunities to interact with and learn from other VR therapists ,
Client access to virtual environments for therapeutic homework between appointments ,
Coaching on how to bill insurance for VR therapy at a higher rate than standard therapy ( including the ability to bill for clients ’ homework sessions when the therapist is not present ),
The capacity to track the client ’ s degree of sweat excretion as a biometric measure of physiological arousal , and
The ability to monitor the client ’ s attentional focus when immersed in a VR environment , all in a HIPPA-compliant platform .
A Call for Counselor Competency
The AMHCA Code of Ethics ( http :// connections . amhca . org / events / publications / ethics ) calls on LCMHCs to develop competency in the appropriate use of technology-supported counseling . VR therapy is an effective tool that offers a seemingly limitless arsenal of therapeutic tools , but few clients have access to it due to the shortage of LCMHCs who offer VR therapy .
I ’ d love to see more of my colleagues providing helpful , potentially life-changing services through VR . I encourage you to explore the option , both personally and professionally .
18 The Advocate Magazine 2023 , Issue # 2 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org