Support groups are powerful tools for people to connect and support each other for many different reasons. Support groups bring people together based on a common thread, such as past trauma, isolation, or health conditions.
A health-related support group, or group therapy, allows people to share personal experiences and feelings, coping strategies, or firsthand information about diseases or treatments. For many people, a support group may fill a gap between medical treatment and the need for emotional support.1
Traditionally, groups meet in person, but online and virtual support groups are becoming more popular and accessible due to technology, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online and virtual meetings are particularly beneficial for those who are homebound, have social anxiety, live in a rural area, have hectic schedules, or prefer anonymity.
XRHealth is helping to advance the availability of virtual support with Virtual Reality (VR) Support Groups. VR Support Groups bring people together by immersing them into the same 360-degree digital environment. This mutual experience creates intimate interactions that are not possible through video or phone calls. Additionally, a licensed therapist is present (virtually) to guide the group through safe, positive conversation and movement.
Each participant in the group has their own avatar, which they design and assign a name to; this adds a level of anonymity that allows people to open up and overcome hesitation, making sharing personal experiences and challenges that much easier.
Watch the video below to learn more about the experience of therapeutic group sessions with XRHealth.
Foretell Reality has developed an avatar-based, multi-participant virtual reality platform specifically designed for group therapy. At XRHealth, the ability for our patients and moderators to connect with each other through VR is powered by Foretell Reality. Read more about XRHealth VR Support groups.
To register for XRHealth VR Therapy, enroll now.
1. Mayo Clinic. Support groups: Make connections, get help. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/support-groups/art-20044655
