VR Exposure Therapy for Motor Vehicle Accidents

A motor vehicle accident (MVA) can be an incredibly stressful and traumatic event in person’s life and can have a lasting psychological impact on individuals who have experienced an MVA. These lasting impacts of an MVA can manifest themselves in a wide variety of different ways; from flashbacks about the accident to severe anxiety when driving in the vehicle. Thankfully, there are treatment options that can help relieve that stress and anxiety that you are experiencing when driving. Here at the clinic, we utilize virtual reality exposure therapy in conjunction other psychological therapies and interventions to help alleviate the stresses that you are feeling.



Exposure Therapy

 

How does VR Exposure therapy work?

VR Exposure therapy uses a specialized visual emersion to artificially create an environment to simulate an experience for the client. In a VR exposure therapy session, we are exposing clients to their feared stimulus in a safe environment, which allows the client to learn to cope with their anxieties, reframe their thinking about the traumatic event, and systematically desensitize themselves from the trigger. Over time, the repeated exposure to the feared stimulus will become less intense and more manageable for the client. When recovering from a motor vehicle accident, being able to manage anxiety while driving or being a passenger in a vehicle is a huge aspect of recovery.

What can I Expect from a VR Session?

Exposure therapy can be a scary proposition for clients as tackling their most feared stimulus is very challenging. However, you are not alone in this process as you will have one of our trained professionals working alongside you throughout your treatments. As you start treatment, one of our psychologists or psychology assistants will ask you some questions to help discover what various triggers are present for you. These can be anything from other vehicles present on the road to the speed that the vehicle travels. From here, your provider will start by teaching you relaxation and grounding exercises that you can utilize while you are undergoing your exposure. Once you are prepared and ready for the exposure, you provider with tailor each specific exposure to your goals. Following the treatment plan that your provider has developed, each session will build off the previous and progress you forward until you are feeling confident in your ability to manage your anxiety when in the vehicle. This recovery process takes time so don’t get discouraged if you don’t notice any changes in anxiety right away.


If you have been in a motor vehicle accident and have been struggling with anxiety or stress from the trauma of the accident, give us a call here at HUMAN Integrated Performance (780) 862-3111 and we will help get you started on the road to recovery!

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