Agoraphobia Virtual Reality Program
Agoraphobia Virtual Reality Program 
What is virtual reality exposure?
If you have seen movies such as Avatar, Tron, Lawnmower Man, The Matrix... or played video games, you may have an idea about what Virtual reality is: Using specific virtual reality equipment you will interact with and navigate in a 3D computerised world resembling reality: towns, cinema, streets, supermarket…. All the virtual environments used in the treatment program are designed especially for agoraphobia. They offer the advantage of a controllable and progressive exposure to places usually avoided by a person suffering from agoraphobia. Just like the gold standard treatment for Agoraphobia which involves exposure, this idea is to desensitize patients in a more motivating way and most importantly in the confidentiality of an office under the monitoring of a therapist.
What does the Agoraphobia Virtual Reality Program involve?
The Agoraphobia Virtual Reality program is a 10 weekly individual sessions of an enhanced virtual reality exposure program for agoraphobia (with or without Panic). This program has been developed through the Centre for Emotional Health under the supervision of Pr Ron Rapee and Dr Manolya Kavakli. It includes innovative and evidence-based treatment techniques aimed at maximizing treatment effectiveness for agoraphobia. Past studies have also demonstrated that patients have a general preference for this novel treatment compared to the classic therapy. Each individual session is led by Dr Eric Malbos, a therapist with a 5 years experience in virtual reality exposure.
How do I get involved in the program?
Step 1: If you have a patient that you think would benefit from our innovative treatment program, the first step is to refer them to the Emotional Health Clinic. The best way to do this is to have your patient call us on our clinic (02) 9850 8711 and we can take down their details and send them information about the program.
Step 2: Approximately one week after the patient is sent information about the program, an intake officer will conduct a short telephone interview with you to briefly discuss your current concerns and advise you as to whether the program is likely to meet your needs.
Step 3: If we feel that the program may be able to help them, we will arrange an initial diagnostic assessment interview with one of our psychologists at the Emotional Health Clinic. This assessment will take approximately 2 hours, and allows us to get a very detailed understanding of their current problems and any other related emotional and physical health problems. Following this, the patient and their assessing psychologist will make a decision about whether the program is suitable to meet their treatment needs. If it is decided that the program will not provide you with the required help, we will arrange a suitable referral for you.
Step 4: If you decide to proceed with participating in the Virtual Reality Exposure treatment program, you will be then contacted by someone from our clinic who will inform you of the start date. Please be aware that there may be a wait of 3-6 weeks before your program commences. The program runs once a week (date and time will be arranged on a mutual basis) for a total of 10 consecutive weeks. Each session runs for one and half hours and includes a brief break.
What commitment does the program ask of me?
The development of our treatment programs and the continued advancement of our knowledge about Agoraphobia would have been impossible without the support of the many patients over the years. We ask every participant in our program to complete a follow-up survey 6 months after the completion of the program so that we can continue to further evaluate the program’s effectiveness in the long term. The information is vital as it allows us to continue to further develop the program for future participants in the years to come.
How much does the program cost?
Below is a table which outlines the treatment fees:
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Assessment Fee
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Treatment Fee
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Total Cost
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Full Fee
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$150
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$150
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$300
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Reduced Fee
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$50
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$50
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$100
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We do offer limited spaces for people experiencing financial hardship. In order to qualify for reduced fees you will need to provide documentation of unemployment, full-time student status or a government pension.
Who do I talk to if I want to know more?
If you have any further questions, please contact Eric Malbos on 0468 833 533 or at Eric.Malbos@mq.edu.au. You can also download our pamphlet here and read more about our program in a recent published article here.
