We were delighted to host our NYS Office for Persons With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) regional office team leader, Sheila Brazie at our main office in early April. She came to have a firsthand experience of the virtual reality (VR) platform we are pioneering to augment our behavioral health services for individuals living with intellectual/developmental disabilities. The VR program was developed by Psious and purchased last year through a grant from CDPHP.
Ms. Brazie was given an immersive experience of a mindfulness environment followed by a full review of the platform, including evaluation tools and summaries of the progress our clients are making. While here, she also learned more about our Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) group where we guide our individuals in learning to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others.
Ms. Brazie was impressed by our unique use of the combination of VR and DBT as an innovative approach to promoting resiliency and skills needed to navigate daily challenges and manage anxiety related to day-to-day stressors. Later this month, we will be giving a presentation on the exciting use of these therapies at the NY Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation Annual Conference.