A Brighton charity is launching the first counselling service in the metaverse.
Youth mental health charity Ditch the Label’s staff will use digital avatars to talk to people via the Spatial virtual reality platform from autumn.
It says it is making the move to find young people in need of its support in the places they already inhabit.
Its trained psychotherapists, counsellors and psychologists will provide free support and video therapy sessions as part of the charity’s new platform Ditch the Label 3.0.
Founder and CEO, Liam Hackett, said: “The metaverse has the potential to be a powerful way to help young people.
“By breaking down the barriers that some people experience with traditional face-to-face therapy, the platform aims to make it easier for people to open up in an environment they feel comfortable in.
“The use of technology in this way could be a game-changer for the third sector.”
Rebecca Barrie, Psychotherapist and Ditch the Label Trustee said: “Therapy needs to evolve along with the times that we live in.
“As young people spend more of their lives online it’s vital that therapy reflects this and adapts to suit their needs.
“For many young people, sitting in a stuffy room with a therapist can seem overwhelming and strange, whereas engaging with an avatar could feel much safer and for therapy to work, comfort and a sense of safety is imperative.”
The platform will use intelligent search to help young people navigate its resources, and there will also be a Zen mode if the platform is too stimulating, cutting out all the ‘noise’ and colour, leaving simple, easy-to-read text.
