Virtual Reality consists of a fully immersive, 3-D environment that transports people to engaging, interactive environments that can promote new learning. VR technology also has the potential to assist in training, evaluation, delivery, and supervision of psychotherapy skills, and can provide patients with a physiologically and emotionally evocative experience which can make VR a valuable tool for mental health treatment. VR exposure therapy (VRET) permits individualized, gradual, controlled, immersive exposure that is easy for therapists to implement and often more acceptable to patients than in vivo or imaginal exposure. This can allow users to practice behavioral skills in a safe environment through the support of a therapist. VRET has been used for the treatment of a range of conditions including social anxiety, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), drug abuse and panic disorder. Our doctors present several methods for incorporating VR technology into the therapeutic process and review how VRET can improve the ease, acceptability, and effectiveness of treatments for anxiety, 

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Motivation to integrate technology and behavioral health exists, as highlighted by the All of Us research initiative funded by the NIH. Presently available VR technology is being used to enhance treatment of depression and anxiety. VR has the potential to improve clinical training. VR could create an engaging, controllable, repeatable, and safe training environment. Advances in VR allow users to enter a fully immersive environment and have simulated interactions with virtual humans. Practice with virtual humans has also demonstrated effectiveness as a way to train for difficult conversations. A recent study found that virtual patient simulations can be an effective tool for developing brief clinical interviewing skills among behavioral health providers