Immersed in Anxiety or a Process to Healing? VR Meets Mental Health
Thursday,16 August
4:15 - 6 pm
Petree Hall D

Virtual reality is becoming a viable tool for cognitive and behavioral mental health applications. Much like an aircraft simulator tests and trains piloting ability under a variety of controlled conditions, virtual environments can present simulations and stimulus inputs that can be used to treat human behavioral and cognitive processes. This panel presents eight top VR and mental health scientists who use VR to assess and treat phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, burn and cancer pain, traumatic brain injury, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, and assessment of cognitive/functional abilities with aging populations. One panelist will assume a "devils advocate" role and challenge the other panelists on the issues, and how technology can be advanced in a rational manner.

Organizer
Albert "Skip" Rizzo
University of Southern California

Panelists
Larry F. Hodges
Georgia Institute of Technology

Hunter Hoffman
University of Washington

Albert "Skip" Rizzo
University of Southern California

Maria T. Schultheis
Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corp.

Dorothy Strickland
North Carolina State University and Virtual Reality Aids, Inc.

Benjamin Watson
Northwestern University

Brenda K. Wiederhold
VRHealth.com

Mark Wiederhold
Cyber Psychology & Behavior Journal