Phoenix VR Self-Confidence Therapy logo with abstract bird design in orange.

Phoenix: Self Confidence

“The confidence of young people diagnosed with psychosis is often low. Positive self-beliefs may be few and negative self-beliefs many. A sense of defeat and failure is common.”
— Prof Daniel Freeman

A Virtual Reality application was created to help provide young people with small activities, followed by immediate, positive feedback, to help build some of that self-confidence back.

The treatment is based on established cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and positive psychology techniques. A case series indicates that this approach may lead to large improvements in positive self-beliefs and psychological wellbeing. We now conducting the first randomised controlled evaluation of Phoenix VR. 

Results from the case series, and ongoing evaluation trial of Phoenix is extremely positive, with some users reporting that they now have to confidence to return to their normal life and overcome feelings of paranoia.

Virtual scene with digital rabbits and feeding stations labeled with food items such as carrots, hay, apples, and cabbage.
Virtual reality hands holding a hammer near a wall with wallpaper and a painting.
Virtual reality puzzle game with hand interacting with levers and toys
3D animation of a person in red shirt and blue pants near a wooden structure with mesh wire, outdoors with trees and blue sky.

What I did:

  • Wrote C# code in Unity for all activities

  • Optimised Application for Quest 2 deployment

  • Conducted User Research at several points in development

  • Designed activities in application

  • Managed deployment for different testing rounds

  • Responded to feedback from users and SMEs and developed improvements

  • Created novel interactions for a fun experience

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