Virtual Reality Therapy for Anxiety

Elizabeth McMahon, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in private practice, consultant, author of Overcoming Anxiety and Panic Interactive Guide, and an acknowledged expert in virtual reality therapy for anxiety who has used VR in clinical practice since 2010. Debra Boeldt, PhD, is the deputy director of the National Mental Health Innovation Center and senior instructor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

1. Introduction Section I: Anxiety Treatment Overview 2. Anxiety Cycle Model 3. Uses of VR in Anxiety Treatment 4. VR Exposure Therapy 5. VR Anxiety Treatment Protocol Section II: Treating Fears and Phobias 6. Specific Phobias Overview 7. Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia 8. Claustrophobia 9. Driving Phobia 10. Flying Phobia 11. Height Phobia 12. Insect and Animal Phobias Section III: Treating Other Anxiety Disorders 13. Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia 14. Social Anxiety Disorder 15. Stress, Tension, Insomnia 16. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 17. GAD, OCD, and Illness Anxiety Disorder Section IV: Other Issues 18. Virtual Reality and Non-CBT Therapies 19. Frequently Asked Questions 20. Future Directions Epilogue Appendix A: VR Equipment and Content Types Appendix B: Virtual Reality Therapy Checklist