Virtual Reality Therapy in Murray, Utah 
Cutting-Edge Healing in an Immersive Environment
​(Coming Soon)

Virtual Reality (VR) therapy is one of the most exciting and rapidly advancing frontiers in
mental health treatment today. It blends the gold-standard science of exposure therapy with
the power of fully immersive technology — creating therapeutic experiences that feel
remarkably real, yet remain completely safe and under your control. Living Waters
Counseling LLC is proud to be among a very select group of mental health practices in the
state of Utah offering this innovative modality.

Located at our Murray, UT office and led by Dr. Ron Llewelyn, Psy.D. and Dax Johnson,
CMHC, our team combines decades of clinical expertise with a commitment to delivering
the best available treatments. Whether you've tried traditional therapy before with limited
success, or you're simply curious about what the cutting edge of healing looks like, VR
therapy at Living Waters may open a door you didn't know existed.

26 RCTs
Randomized trials confirming VR therapy's significant clinical effects

What Is Virtual Reality Therapy?

Virtual Reality therapy — also called VR therapy or Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) — is a clinically guided treatment method in which clients wear a head-mounted display (VR headset) to enter fully immersive, computer-generated environments that support specific therapeutic goals. Rather than simply talking about fears, memories, or
stressors, clients can experience carefully designed scenarios in a setting that feels genuine
— while remaining entirely safe within the therapist's office.

VR therapy is firmly rooted in well-established psychological frameworks:
● Exposure Therapy: Gradually confronting feared situations or stimuli to reduce avoidance and anxiety responses
● Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Identifying and restructuring unhelpful thought patterns linked to distress
● Systematic Desensitization: Pairing relaxation and grounding with progressively challenging virtual scenarios
● Mindfulness & Grounding: Using immersive natural environments to anchor clients in present-moment awareness

Key insight: The therapist controls the virtual environment at all times. Exposure is always
gradual, voluntary, and paced by the client's comfort level. You can remove the headset at any
moment.

How Virtual Reality Therapy Works at Living Waters Counseling

At Living Waters Counseling LLC, VR therapy is never a standalone gimmick — it is a carefully integrated clinical tool, deployed by licensed providers with deep expertise in trauma, anxiety, and behavioral health. Here is what the process looks like:

Step	What Happens
1	Clinical Assessment: Your provider reviews your history, goals, and comfort with technology to determine whether VR therapy is appropriate for your treatment plan.
2	Equipment Orientation: You are fitted with a lightweight, comfortable VR headset while seated or standing in the office. Your provider explains what you'll see and how to pause or stop at any time.
3	Environment Selection: The therapist selects a virtual environment matched to your therapeutic goal — calming nature scenes for anxiety/grounding, gradually escalating scenarios for exposure work, or structured environments for trauma processing.
4	Guided Experience: You move through the virtual environment while your therapist monitors your responses in real time, providing guidance, coping strategies, and therapeutic direction throughout.
5	Debrief & Integration: After the VR portion, you and your therapist discuss the experience, process any emotions or insights, and integrate the session with CBT, EMDR, or other evidence-based approaches.
6	Ongoing Treatment Planning: Sessions are typically 50–60 minutes. The number of VR sessions varies based on your treatment goals and progress — your plan is always individualized.

What VR Therapy Can Help With

VR therapy's immersive flexibility makes it effective across a remarkably broad range of presenting concerns. At Living Waters Counseling, our providers use VR as part of an integrated treatment approach for:

PTSD & Trauma	Phobias (Heights, Flying, Crowds)	Anxiety & Panic Disorder
Social Anxiety	Depression & Emotional Dysregulation	Addiction
Performance Anxiety	Grief & Loss Processing	Combat & First Responder Trauma

What to Expect in a VR Therapy Session

Many clients come in curious but understandably uncertain. Here's the honest, practical picture of what a VR therapy session at Living Waters Counseling actually looks and feels like:

● Initial Consultation: Before your first VR session, your provider conducts a thorough intake to understand your goals, mental health history, and any concerns about using the technology.

● Comfortable Setup: The headset is lightweight and can be used seated or standing. No prior tech experience is needed — your therapist handles all setup and navigation.

● You Are Always in Control: You can remove the headset at any time, pause the environment, or redirect the experience entirely. Nothing happens without your consent.

● Real-Time Monitoring: Your therapist sees the same environment you do on a monitor, allowing them to guide and respond to your experience moment by moment.

● Immersive but Gradual: Environments are introduced slowly and scaled to your comfort — from peaceful nature settings all the way to more challenging graduated exposure scenarios over the course of treatment.

● Combined Approach: VR sessions are paired with traditional therapeutic conversation, CBT techniques, EMDR, or other modalities based on your individualized care plan.

● Session Length & Frequency: VR therapy sessions run 50–60 minutes. The total number of sessions depends on your treatment goals and is determined collaboratively with your provider.

Is Virtual Reality therapy safe?

Yes. VR therapy is clinically safe and has been studied in hundreds of peer-reviewed trials worldwide. At Living Waters Counseling, your therapist controls the environment at all times, exposure is always gradual and consensual, and you can remove the headset instantly at any point. Some clients experience mild motion discomfort initially, which resolves quickly and is always monitored by your provider.

 Do I need any technology experience to do VR therapy?

Absolutely not. You do not need to be tech-savvy, own a VR headset, or have any prior experience with virtual reality. Your therapist handles all setup, calibration, and navigation. All you need to do is put on the headset and follow your providers guidance. If you can watch TV, you can engage in VR therapy.

Can VR therapy be done for trauma and PTSD?

Yes, and this is one of its most powerful applications. VR exposure therapy for PTSD has been researched extensively, including in VA hospital settings with combat veterans. 

Does insurance cover Virtual Reality therapy?

Living Waters Counseling LLC accepts insurance, and VR therapy delivered by a licensed provider within a clinical session is typically billed as standard psychotherapy. We encourage you to contact our office directly to verify your specific insurance benefits