WATCH – VIDEO GAME FOR GOOD –
Nov. 20, 2025 – Jarrod Reisweber has created a new world to address a harsh reality of addiction.
“It strikes at the most inconvenient times,” said Reisweber, Psy.D., an affiliate assistant professor of psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University as well as a clinical psychologist.
A therapy session might happen at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday, but a craving or trigger pays no attention to the clock or calendar. Reisweber, who works closely with the Veterans Health Administration, saw how patients who are being treated for trauma, depression and substance use could benefit from support when they need it most – for example, in the middle of the night.
“Your therapist can’t always be there,” he said. “So we asked, what if the treatment could always be there?”The video below shares the story of an uncommon hero who is blending technology and the human touch to help patients.
“In VR, we can be there when the human therapist can’t,” Reisweber said. “That’s the power.”
