Psychological care in the metaverse

Some fields of endeavor seem to be effective only in the face-to-face setting. Psychology is one of them. After all, it is a human contact between a specialist and a person seeking support. The same is true with self-help groups that exist on different topics to help each other with similar situations. Nevertheless, this field of care had to change its approaches during the covid pandemic. Thus, remote consultations took place, a practice that was not ideal but at least met the need to express oneself.

With the growing interest in multiverses, the field of psychology could well be transformed as explained in this live interview by Sebastien Serlet. Indeed, these virtual universes already exist since Second Life but are gaining in popularity. Moreover, during the health crisis, the Narcotics Anonymous of France realized some meetings in this space for lack of being able to do it in real. Of course, human warmth was missing but some individuals felt more comfortable communicating in this way through avatars.

For the psychologist interested in this technology, it would be possible for psychology to perform different tasks with the metaverse. Exposure to phobic situations would be a very relevant one. The specialist could accompany an agoraphobic person in a virtual crowd, note his reactions, come and support him, etc. A gradual exposure phase that could, eventually, be transposed into real experiences later on.

The simple question of the avatar can be very revealing. Indeed, how does the patient perceive themselves? Why did he or she choose those clothes or that gender? Moreover, the ability to build an avatar could make life easier for people with gender dysphoria (oscillating between two states). The metaverse also offers the opportunity to elaborate, for example, in rooms where an individual could illustrate a past situation or perversions that would then be easier to understand for the caregiver.

Of course, it will still be necessary for psychologists to ensure that the metaverse used respects the confidentiality (or even anonymity in the case of meetings) of patients. After all, this security is what allows for confidence. Nevertheless, the specialist believes in the potentials of the metaverse to support face-to-face sessions.

Length: 1 hour and 40 minutes

Picture credit: en.depositphotos.com