Meet Sabrina
Sabrina, a young woman with Down syndrome, has always been full of life, with a love for singing and dancing. However, behind the joy, Sabrina had struggled with sleep for years. Traditional methods, like bedtime routines and relaxation techniques, left Sabrina feeling frustrated and disconnected from the restful nights she so desperately needed.Â
How VR and ORS changed Sabrina's life
Everything changed when Sabrina tried a virtual reality (VR) headset during her occupational therapy (OT) appointments. After proposing the idea to trial VR in therapy, ORS provided the headset, opening the door to a new therapeutic approach.
While seated comfortably in the real world, Sabrina, was able to immerse herself in a virtual world. She was sitting by a campfire in a serene forest, hearing the gentle rustling of leaves and the soothing flow of a nearby stream. For the first time in years, Sabrina’s body began to relax.
Her mother, Taylor, immediately saw the benefits and purchased a headset for use between sessions. Night after night, Sabrina’s sleep improved, and with it, her overall well-being. VR not only helped her sleep — it connected her to her therapy, her therapist, and ultimately, herself. This is one of many cases that shows the power of VR in occupational therapy. VR is a tool that helps clients in ways that traditional methods sometimes cannot.
Virtual Reality: Bridging the gap in Occupational Therapy
Over 5.5 million Australians need disability occupational therapy services each year. This means the demand for new tools to improve the therapeutic relationship is quite high. Virtual reality, with its ability to create immersive and meaningful experiences, is emerging as a game-changer. It’s revolutionising how therapists engage clients and, more importantly, how clients achieve their goals.
Traditionally, Occupational Therapists have used hands-on approaches to build connections with clients. Virtual Reality offers an innovative way to strengthen this relationship. It allows clients to step into a virtual environment where they can work on specific skills while feeling deeply engaged in the process. In Sabrina’s case, VR helped her feel safe and calm in a controlled environment where she could finally unwind. Sabrina made real progress by combining her mind, body, and therapy, something she couldn’t achieve with traditional methods alone.
For many clients, VR creates an emotional and cognitive connection that traditional therapy can struggle to reach. Whether it’s helping clients practice motor skills in a simulated environment, guiding them through mindfulness exercises, or offering a space to explore sensory experiences, VR helps bring therapy to life in a way that feels real and relevant.
Imagine a world where therapy extends beyond the physical clinic. Where clients can connect to their therapy through immersive digital landscapes, engaging in meaningful tasks like travelling the world, while remaining within the safe environment of the clinic. Thanks to ORS’ forward-thinking approach to introducing VR technology, this future isn’t far off — it’s now.
What does this mean for Occupational Therapy moving forward?
For decades, Occupational Therapy has relied on hands-on, in-person techniques to help clients regain independence and improve their quality of life. While these methods remain highly effective, they sometimes fall short of fostering a deep sense of connectedness. This is where virtual reality comes in. By allowing clients to immerse themselves in interactive, meaningful experiences, VR fosters connections — emotional, cognitive, and physical — in a way that traditional therapy solutions alone cannot always achieve.
Virtual reality isn’t a replacement for traditional methods; it’s an enhanced health therapy service. It adds an extra layer of engagement, motivation, and connectedness to the therapeutic process. VR is changing occupational therapy in many ways. It can help improve sleep, like in Sabrina’s case. It also allows clients to practice daily living skills safely in a virtual space. VR is expanding what can be done in the field of occupational therapy.
As Occupational Therapists, it’s crucial to stay connected to the ever-evolving world of technology. Virtual reality is more than just a trend — it’s a transformative tool that fosters deep, meaningful connections at the heart of occupational therapy. This OT week let’s embrace the future of therapy by recognising the profound impact VR can have on our clients and their journeys.
Thanks to introducing VR in therapy, we are witnessing how bridging the gap between digital environments and real-world outcomes helps Occupational Therapists reach new levels of connectedness — one immersive experience at a time.
If you or someone you care for are seeking the right guidance on VR in therapy, ORS Occupational Therapists are available to help. We encourage you to please feel free to contact us by phone at 1800 000 677 or click here to make a referral.