Avatar therapy is a groundbreaking treatment aimed at individuals experiencing persistent auditory hallucinations, particularly those with voices that inflict harmful and invalidating effects. By utilizing virtual reality technology, this therapy creates avatars that impersonate voices heard. Through interacting with these avatars in a virtual environment, patients gain the ability to engage in conversations with external representations of their hallucinations. This innovative approach empowers individuals to enhance their control over their auditory experiences, leading to reduced distress caused by the voices. This project is done in collaboration with the University of Ottawa and the University of British Colombia.

Dialog+ is a patient self assessment questionnaire which enables patient-centered care. 
This App. was used mainly within the ACT (Assertive Community Treatment), SIV (soutien d’itensité variable) and ETAPE teams/clinic (Rehabilitation and integration centre for psychiatric patients) at the Douglas to measure satisfaction with different domains of life and desire for help. The questionnaire was completed by the patient as part of meetings with their case managers. This helps guide treatment towards solution-focused interventions which is personalized and relevant to the patient by being based on their expressed needs. Interestingly, the domain that stood out across all three clienteles as most in need of attention was professional integration. This suggests a need for further expansion of the IPS program.

This project studies whether the remote administration of the cognitive remediation program RC2S+, via virtual reality (VR) to emulate daily social interactions, is acceptable and feasible in people with schizophrenia and related disorders. This study is implemented at the Douglas CI3P clinic.

Innowell is a measurement-based care platform, developed in Australia, that will be used to improve clinical syndromes characterization of youth that enter our mental health system. This tool will be implemented via the Douglas Mental Health Institute for Youth Mental Health services. It will track transdiagnostic clinical stage, levels of symptoms, observe if duplication of services are offered, and integrate feedback from key stakeholders. This approach will facilitate tailored care based on multidimensional stage-based profile characterisation of patients.

The goal of this virtual reality (VR) project is to offer remote cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) using an emotional regulation approach in Inuit communities. This project involves partnerships with the Innulitsivik Health Centre and the National Research Council of Canada (simulation and digital health division).

Developed in Australia, Horyzons is an online therapeutic intervention platform designed to sustain recovery and well-being, and prevent relapses in people receiving services related to psychotic disorders. Amongst other services, the users can find advice and activities related to mental health and “chat” with other people. Peer-support and clinical moderators are accessible directly via the platform. The role of the moderation team is to suggest activities corresponding to the needs and interests of the participants.

This project aims to bring SPARX-R (Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts, Revised), a game-based mental health intervention program, for Youth Mental Health services here at the Douglas. SPARX-R, developed by researchers at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, functions as a medium for youth to access Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Players take on an avatar and travel to realms, working through challenges and defeating GNATS (Gloomy Negative Automatic Thoughts) while gathering SPARX and power gems that help restore balance in the fantasy world. A guide acting as “virtual therapist” explains how skills learned in the gaming environment apply to “real life” and encourages the idea that depression can be prevented and treated. This project will assess SPARX’s effects on improving symptoms of depression, anxiety and quality of life, while also evaluating the clinic’s capacity to offer this digital intervention.

ICogCA is a multi-site project to assess feasibility and validity of cognitive remediation and metacognition training. This project leverages the E-cog platform and focuses on psychosis clientele. The intervention will be offered virtually via Zoom Health and user-clinician interactions will occur via the iCogCA portal developed in collaborations with the NRC.