VR therapy typically involves exposure to a particular set off triggers and stressors — known as “cue reactivity,” and this exposure takes place while patients are in the company of a clinician, allowing them to face trauma, fears, or triggers while learning coping or relapse-prevention skills in a safe environment. Though VR therapy is certainly having a moment right now, its study in the treatment of psychological disorders is not new. Dr. Albert “Skip” Rizzo, a pioneer in the field of medical virtual reality, began using VR to treat war veterans with PTSD back in the 1990’s at USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies. Over the years, his work expanded to study and treat other mental health conditions such as depression and schizophrenia.