MONTREAL — A Quebec university has made virtual therapy a reality by using computer wizardry to treat phobias, depression and addiction while forging Canada's reputation as a world leader in the emerging field of cyberpsychology.

The Universite du Quebec en Outaouais lab first began using virtual reality to study and treat simple phobias. A decade into the venture, its researchers are now targeting pathological gambling, eating disorders, schizophrenia, agoraphobia, sex offender treatment and, soon, post-traumatic stress disorder in Canadian soldiers returning from Afghanistan.

They're collaborating with therapists, clinics and hospitals across Canada and internationally and they say their lab boasts the only fully immersive virtual reality vault dedicated solely to clinical psychology.

"This is a truly unique network," said Martin Drapeau, a clinical psychologist with Montreal's McGill University, whose psychotherapy research group is partnered with the lab.

"There's nothing like this in the world. Stephane Bouchard is one of the leaders in this area."

Bouchard is the whiz behind the lab and is an award-winning psychologist who holds the Canada research chair in clinical cyberpsychology.

He's witnessed its evolution first hand.

Virtual reality is proving practical for treating more disorders than researchers had ever thought possible, he says, including schizophrenia, generalized anxiety disorder and phantom-limb pain - sensations appearing to come from where an amputated limb used to be.

"And there's been key changes in both the quality and the cost of the technology," Bouchard added.

"The environments are more realistic and easier to work with."

The lab's pride - the vault nicknamed Psyche after the Greek goddess who represents the soul - works with the lab's own software and creates a stronger sense of presence than the older model VR helmets they still use.

Patients step into the room wearing 3-D glasses and stand in the centre while computer-generated images are projected on its six walls.

"The person is completely surrounded by the images and it gives a really strong feeling of reality," said Bouchard.

"They're completely immersed."

Virtual reality technology allows the therapist to control the patient's experience and avoid the curve balls present in conventional therapy.

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