APA CE Course
Cognitive Leap Solutions Inc. is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Cognitive Leap Solutions Inc. maintains responsibility for this program and its content
Technology Meets Mental Health Series - 1
Digital Therapeutics in Mental Health:
Integrating AI and Immersive Technologies into Clinical Practice
Join internationally recognized VR researcher Dr. Skip Rizzo for a continuing education workshop exploring the evolution of Clinical Virtual Reality and the emerging role of immersive technologies, virtual humans, and AI in healthcare research, clinical assessment, and therapeutic intervention.
Who Should Attend
This course is open to both professionals and non-professionals. Participants may include clinicians, researchers, students, educators, coaches, and parents of neurodivergent children. APA Continuing Education (CE) credit is available only for eligible licensed professionals.
Albert “Skip” Rizzo, PhD
A clinical psychologist and internationally recognized pioneer in medical virtual reality and digital mental health. He is a Research Professor at the University of Southern California (USC) and Director for Medical Virtual Reality at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies. Dr. Rizzo has spent more than two decades developing immersive virtual environments for the assessment and treatment of psychological conditions, including PTSD, anxiety disorders, and cognitive impairments. His work has been supported by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Defense. Dr. Rizzo has authored over 300 scientific publications and continues to advance the integration of emerging technologies into behavioral health care.
Course Overview
Since the mid-1990s, Clinical Virtual Reality (VR) has evolved from an experimental novelty into a maturing healthcare technology with a growing scientific evidence base across behavioral health, neurorehabilitation, and functional restoration. VR-based simulation tools are now being used to address a range of cognitive, psychological, motor, and emotional impairments associated with conditions such as anxiety disorders, PTSD, chronic pain, autism, ADHD, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.
This presentation provides a structured overview of the evolution of Clinical VR over the past three decades and introduces a conceptual framework for understanding how immersive technologies can support clinical assessment, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation. Drawing on research findings, clinical case examples, and real-world implementation experiences, the course will review the theoretical foundations and empirical evidence supporting VR-based approaches in healthcare.
The presentation will also explore emerging developments in Virtual Humans (VH) and conversational AI, including their use in clinical training, patient engagement, healthcare coaching, and simulated clinical interviewing. Advances in computing power, immersive displays, and multimodal sensing are enabling increasingly adaptive and personalized therapeutic environments, while the integration of artificial intelligence is opening new possibilities for responsive, data-informed clinical applications.
Although continued research and careful implementation are needed, the current trajectory of the science and technology suggests that VR and AI-enabled virtual agents are poised to become valuable tools in healthcare research, training, and practice. This course will provide participants with an informed perspective on the current state of Clinical VR and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
• Describe the core concepts and technological components of Virtual Reality (VR) and explain the different ways users can engage and interact with immersive virtual environments.
• Explain the scientific rationale and research evidence supporting the use of VR for clinical assessment and intervention, including applications in anxiety disorders, PTSD, ADHD, autism, stroke rehabilitation, addiction treatment, and other health conditions.
• Identify key ethical, clinical, and design considerations involved in the development and deployment of VR, Virtual Humans, and AI-driven systems for healthcare applications.