First Resort: Cognitive Reframing in VR

First Resort is a VR mental wellness app developed by RealizedCare (formerly BehaVR). One of the app's core functions is to teach users to practice cognitive reframing—a key tool of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which involves challenging and restructuring distorted thoughts. Users also practice mindfulness in relaxing environments, identify their values and goals, and learn various techniques to manage stress. First Resort was made available for free in an early access release in November 2022. It was selected as a finalist in the "Best Health Game" category by Games For Change in 2023.

Role: Lead Designer, Artist

Responsibilities: Concept development, storyboarding, prototyping, white-boxing, interaction design, level design, gameplay design, sound design, writing (tutorial dialogue), documentation (GDD), modeling, texturing, animation, VFX (shaders and particles), lighting, graphics optimization and scene profiling

Target Platform: Meta Quest and Meta Quest 2

View in the Meta App Store:
https://www.meta.com/experiences/first-resort-early-access/5600346073390436/

An activity where users acknowledge the feelings and behaviors that come up in response to their thoughts, and practice labeling their thoughts as "distortions". I designed this activity, and created the props and animation.

Animations portraying different types of distorted thinking traps. I modeled and textured the miniature environments and animated the character.

An activity where users challenge the accuracy of their thoughts by gathering evidence for and against them. I designed this activity, created the candlestick, VFX, UI, and several environmental assets.

An activity where users identify their core beliefs, and examine if those beliefs are preventing them from achieving their goals. I designed this activity, created art for the interactive map, created the VFX (particles), and did the lighting.