Young people in Queensland experiencing depression and anxiety will have more opportunities to access Orygen Digital’s cutting-edge virtual reality tool Mind VR thanks to new investment from the Queensland Mental Health Commission.
The Mind VR project has been awarded $250,000 over two years through the Better Futures grant program, supporting the delivery of a comprehensive training package for clinicians working in youth mental health services, equipping them with the skills they need to deliver the immersive VR program.
Mind VR was developed by Orygen Digital with funding support from the Telstra Foundation, and has been co-designed with clinicians and young people. The program has been designed to help young people with anxiety and depression build emotional resilience and psychological flexibility.
Project co-lead Dr Imogen Bell said the Mind VR Better Futures project is about reimagining mental health support for young people.
“By integrating virtual reality into therapy, we’re creating engaging new ways to help young people build confidence, stay connected, and feel more in control,” Dr Bell said.
“It’s incredibly exciting to see this innovation already being embraced by both clinicians and young people.”
Mind VR sessions allow young people to step into immersive environments where they can learn to manage their emotions and respond to their thoughts in more flexible, healthy ways – all with the support of a clinician.
With additional funding support from the Telstra Foundation, the project will enable clinicians across six headspace services (Nundah, Meadowbrook, Woolloongabba, Ipswich, Beaudesert and Inala) to pilot the treatment, offering innovative, evidence-based treatment to young people who need it.
Trials of Mind VR to date have shown strong engagement and are demonstrating the program’s real-world potential, with the Queensland pilot set to run until late 2026.