Childhood abuse and trauma often lead to persistent psychological, emotional, and somatic difficulties that traditional psychotherapy alone may not fully resolve. Emerging research suggests that extended reality (XR)—including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and interactive media—may offer novel therapeutic pathways by enabling controlled exposure, embodied narration, and sensory-supported emotional processing. This exploratory single-subject study investigates the therapeutic impact of integrating XR experiences into psychotherapy for an adult survivor of childhood trauma.

Over the course of 25 sessions, a multidisciplinary team—comprising a lead psychotherapist, an assistant therapist, and an experience designer—will conduct and document a structured therapeutic process combining conventional psychotherapeutic techniques with tailored VR/AR interventions. Data will be collected qualitatively and quantitatively from four perspectives: patient, therapists, technologist/experience designer, and session facilitator.

The study aims to understand how immersive and interactive environments influence emotional regulation, memory processing, narrative reconstruction, and therapeutic alliance. Findings are expected to contribute to emerging frameworks for trauma-informed XR design, offer guidance on integrating immersive media into clinical practice, and lay the groundwork for future multi-subject studies on XR-augmented trauma therapy.

Childhood trauma can create long-lasting emotional, psychological, and physical challenges—often persisting even after years of traditional therapy. This exploratory research examines how Extended Reality (XR) technologies—such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and interactive media—can open new therapeutic pathways.

Over 25 structured sessions, an adult survivor of childhood trauma participates in a blended therapeutic process combining:

• Conventional psychotherapy

• Guided XR experiences

• Embodied storytelling and sensory-based interventions

A multidisciplinary team—including a lead psychotherapist, assistant therapist, and experience designer—collaborates to create and adapt immersive environments tailored to therapeutic goals.

This study explores how XR may influence:

• Emotional regulation

• Memory processing and integration

• Embodied awareness and somatic responses

• Narrative reconstruction

• Therapeutic alliance and engagement

Data is collected from multiple perspectives: patient, therapists, experience designer, and session facilitator.

Immersive technologies may help individuals revisit and process traumatic experiences in safer, more controlled, and more supportive ways. By examining one participant in depth, this project aims to:

• Inform trauma-informed XR design frameworks

• Guide future integration of immersive media into clinical practice

• Lay the foundation for larger multi-participant studies