Talk Title :

The Augmentation of Music Therapy Using Virtual Reality and the Metaverse

Talk Description :

This presentation is an exploration of how music can be used as a therapeutic tool and how virtual reality can augment potential treatment goals.

Attendees will learn about music therapy and its use as a non-pharmacological intervention and current efforts to research the effects of virtual reality augmentation in a clinical setting.

Future considerations for virtual group therapy within the metaverse will also be discussed.

I would like to talk about augmentation of music therapy with virtual reality, specifically in how it can bring both mediums together as a nonpharmacological method of physical and mental healing.

The benefits of music therapy are well-founded, and there is a good amount of positive research involving the therapeutic benefits of virtual reality on its own. However, there is little research regarding the possible benefits of a combined VR music therapy experience.

I would like to first briefly talk about why music therapy is beneficial, the ways virtual reality has proven beneficial, and what a combination of the two could mean for the treatment of anxiety, stress, depression, perception of pain, and overall wellness.

I then would like to demo various VR music interventions I have created, explaining the approach and why VR may prove beneficial in these interventions. These interventions include musical improvisation, music listening, relaxation, songwriting, and others.

Some of these demonstrations are currently on my Youtube channel.

Finally, I want to discuss the goals for the future, including current and future research and the development of a downloadable therapeutic suite of tools.

Individuals will be able to download and access therapeutic musical VR experiences and activities to help with acute stress and anxiety.