A new study has shown that therapy using virtual reality technology can help combat veterans overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, by re-exposing them to traumatic events in a simulated, controlled cyber-environment, researchers said Tuesday. To read the full article from Aljazeera, visit their website.

New Rochelle, NY, March 25, 2014—Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among military veterans and together with the often-related anxiety, depression, and psychological and emotional impairment can dramatically affect quality of life. A type of virtual reality (VR) treatment called Graded Exposure Therapy (GET) can improve PTSD symptoms and may also have a positive impact on these associated disorders, as described in an article in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. To view the article, please visit their website.

From a psychologist’s perspective, a fear of  clowns often starts in childhood; there’s even an entry in the psychologists’ bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM, for a fear of clowns, although it’s under the umbrella category of a pediatric phobia of costumed characters (sports mascots, Mickey Mouse). “It starts normally in children about the age of two, when they get anxiety about being around strangers, too. At that age, children’s minds are still developing, there’s a little bit of a blend and they’re not always able to separate fantasy from reality,” explains Dr. Brenda Wiederhold, a veteran psychologist who runs a phobia and anxiety treatment center in San Diego that uses virtual reality to treat clients.

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-and-psychology-of-clowns-being-scary-20394516/#ixzz2uzFqVHEu

A VRMI affiliate in San Diego, California has been featured in a podcast by Shaping Reality. Shaping Reality is a platform for exploring global issues which can be ailed with advances in interdisciplinary future sciences.To listen to the the podcast, visit Shaping Reality’s website here.

For the full article, select the following link: Flying Virtually Disappears.

For the full article, click here to view Case Study.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR View Email in a browser Dear Colleague, It is with great pride that we celebrate the completion of our 16th year atCyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking (CYBER). As Editor-in-Chief, I have had the pleasure of seeing both CYBER’s inception and continued growth. Originally focused more on theoretical issues and ‘what ifs’ of technology and healthcare, the Journal’s studies continue to show that adding advanced technologies can increase efficacy in many areas of diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of both cognitive and physical disorders. With the advent of new social networking tools, the Journal continues to focus on the impact (both positive and negative) of social networking tools such as Twitterand Facebook on individual behavior, relationships, and society as a whole. We continue to attract rigorous scientific studies that explore the impact of advanced technologies. With the addition of our new editors from Europe and Asia, we continue to emphasize the global nature of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. In 2013, we also took another important step forward, becoming the official journal of the International Association of CyberPsychology, Training, & Rehabilitation (iACToR). The Journal of CyberTherapy & Rehabilitation merged with us and as a result, authors conducting rigorous studies now have a higher-profile home for their articles. In addition, CYBER is the official journal of the CyberPsychology, CyberTherapy & Social Networking Conference, now in its 19th year, offering yet another opportunity for dissemination of our Journal’s research to a wider international audience. We realize the importance placed upon publication in a scientifically rigorous journal, with Impact Factor and indexing being two key elements for our academic partners. We continue to see an increase in downloads, reflecting the importance others place upon our publication as a must-have information source. The Journal is widely accessible in key libraries and institutions in over 170 countries around the world. As well, the Journal continues to attract significant attention from the international media—the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Forbes Magazine, ABC news, and other prestigious media outlets. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking is proud to be a part of the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers family of journals. We continue to seek out manuscripts on focused topics, both as rapid communications and original articles. As always we thank you for your continued belief in our mission, for your subscriptions as well as your submissions. Best Wishes, Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCIA Editor-in-Chief

Wheat Ridge, CO – The Biofeedback Certification International Alliance, formerly the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA), is pleased to announce that Brenda K. Wiederhold is now also a Fellow in Biofeedback. Professor Wiederhold joins an elite group of professionals who have met the educational, clinical, ethical, and exam criteria required in order to become a certified provider of biofeedback services. For further information, click the following link:

 

BCIA Congratulates Brenda K. Wiederhold, Brussels, Psychologist on Becoming a Fellow in Biofeedback

Wheat Ridge, CO – The Biofeedback Certification International Alliance, formerly the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA), is pleased to announce that Brenda Wiederhold has gained a higher level of progressive certification in neurofeedback. Professor Wiederhold joins an elite group of professionals who have met an advanced level of continuing education and experience required in order to maintain their credential as a certified provider of neurofeedback services. For further information, select the following link: Press Release Neurofeedback.

VRMI was recently reatured in BrusselsLifeTech Newsletter. You can find more information here.