Stories and insights that advance mental healthcare

Siemen introduced the VR headset to a client with a lower intellectual level. By first practising the exercises together in the session, then using the headset with guidance, and finally letting the client work step by step on their own, it eventually became possible to continue practising independently at home. For Siemen it felt like a genuine success that the method worked so well for this particular client. The woman herself was clearly pleased that she could use the headset in this way.

Renske supported a young family with a newborn baby who wanted to start treatment but had little time or energy. Thanks to EMDR-VR they could work at home at times that fitted into their daily rhythm. This made treatment manageable rather than an added burden.

Florentine worked with a client with PTSD who was always ‘on,’ constantly alert and tense. No exercise seemed to help; even working together with a colleague didn’t manage to calm her down. According to the client, nothing simply worked. That was until Florentine introduced the VR headset.

The reindeer video and sitting on the back of a horse finally managed to get something moving. She noticed her alertness decrease and space open up to relax.

She took the VR headset home and practices twice a day. From this newly found calm, she’s now even able to add breathing exercises—something that hadn’t been possible before. Through this small entry point, she feels for the first time that relaxation is achievable.

Sophie uses exposure videos in VR for children with needle phobia. In the videos they watch a child in a doctor’s office receive an injection. By experiencing this step by step in a safe virtual environment, they learn to overcome their fear. For many, this became a major breakthrough: some even managed to get their COVID vaccination thanks to the videos.

Inge worked with a girl who had many automatic negative thoughts. There was no clear traumatic event to focus on, but she did experience tension and dissociation linked to memories of her strict father. EMDR still offered an opening. Since the girl loved gaming, the VR headset felt familiar and safe.

Siemen Dal worked with a client who had a long history of trauma. At first, he was hesitant to use the VR headset with this client, let alone to let them take it home. Still, they decided together to carefully map out the trauma first. With clear agreements and a structured plan, they agreed that the client would only work on that specific memory at home. In doing so, Siemen gave the client not just a tool, but also confidence. To his surprise, the client really dared to tackle it at home. He used the VR headset to work through the trauma calmly and realized he was capable of much more than he had thought. When he came back, he was noticeably positive.

Lonneke notices during treatment that the VR headset helps make it clear when an EMDR session has done its work. Clients feel the moment when the tension leaves the mental image and the memory no longer activates stress. She worked with a young person with persistent fear who realised after EMDR that the anxiety had disappeared and the image no longer carried any charge.

Some experiences can be hugely impactful for children, and Lonneke sees how meaningful it is when these are properly processed. A boy who had become afraid of medical procedures after many hospital stays was able to visit the doctor again without fear thanks to EMDR. This allowed him to continue his medical treatment with confidence.

Birgit supported a boy who could follow a relaxation exercise in VR in his own language. He had been in survival mode for so long that relaxing no longer felt natural. Birgit used a combination of relaxation–EMDR–relaxation. Thanks to the VR environment he calmed down noticeably faster. Within regular EMDR sessions this pace would likely not have been possible.

Birgit treated a 16-year-old unaccompanied refugee. He didn’t speak the language and was severely traumatised. Without an interpreter, Birgit used the VR headset. She quickly noticed that he relaxed physically and felt comfortable during the exercise. It was the first time she used the headset in this way, with surprisingly fast results.

Sophie used exposure with several vomiting videos. She often treats children who are afraid of vomiting, something a therapist cannot easily replicate in person. She noticed that the videos offer a clear progression: from easier exercises to increasingly challenging steps. This structure helped children cope more effectively, and Sophie saw their tension gradually decrease with each step.

Willeke treated someone with EMDR-Remote after a profound experience. The person had stayed awake an entire night to prevent a loved one from taking their own life. This event carried many layers of emotions and trauma. With EMDR-Remote, Willeke was able to reduce the tension and emotional charge step by step.

Florentine treated a girl who was very tense about starting EMDR and avoided many things. Nothing seemed to help until she introduced the VR headset. The girl became curious about the moving dot and the maths tasks, and could choose things herself: which colours, whether the dot should bounce. She felt in control, making it easier and safer to start.

After an intense EMDR session, Lonneke used a relaxation exercise with a girl. During the exercise she watched the girl visibly calm down. She didn’t end the treatment in tension but instead began talking enthusiastically about the videos she had seen in VR. This turned something heavy and emotional into a positive experience: a calm, gentle ending to an intense process.

Emmy treated a client with EMDR for PTSD after childhood sexual abuse. With the VR headset and the working-memory load, the trajectory progressed quickly; the emotional charge decreased much faster than expected. They are now working on other themes, such as fear in traffic. For this she used the headset again, this time with the flashforward technique, and after just one session the tension had almost completely disappeared.