For Young People

Simple VR tools to help you calm down, focus, and feel more grounded

InnerWorld offers short VR and video practices you can use to support your mental health in everyday situations. They are easy to follow, youth-friendly, and designed for short moments of stress or overload. These tools are not therapy. They are simple self-help practices that can support you when you need a pause.

Who should use these tools?

This guide is for you if you are a young person (approx. 15–29), feel stressed, anxious, restless, or overwhelmed, want something practical, not complicated, and prefer short exercises over long explanations. The tools are especially helpful if you are studying or working under pressure, adjusting to a new country or environment, or dealing with worries that won’t “switch off”. You don’t need any experience with VR, meditation, or breathing exercises.

When to use InnerWorld (and when not to)

Use InnerWorld when you feel stressed or tense, need a short mental reset, have trouble focusing, feel emotionally overloaded, or want to calm your body and thoughts. Short practices work best for everyday situations.

Do not use InnerWorld if you are in crisis, feel like you might hurt yourself or someone else, your symptoms are getting worse, or you feel unsafe being alone. In these situations, contact local emergency services, a trusted adult, or a mental health professional. InnerWorld does not replace professional mental health help.

Before you start

Create a safe space: choose a quiet, comfortable place, sit or lie down safely, and remove distractions. Remove the headset or headphones immediately if you feel unwell.

If you feel worse

Pause or stop the video, open your eyes, look around the room, press your feet into the floor. You can also ground yourself by naming 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste.

The InnerWorld practices

Triangle Breathing: for tension and racing thoughts. Helps calm breathing and heart rate. Stop if light-headed.

Square Breathing: for focus and anxiety. Shorten breath holds if uncomfortable.

Body Scan: for physical tension and sleep. Switch to grounding if discomfort appears.

Cinema (Worry-as-a-Movie): for looping worries. Keep short if linked to trauma.

Grounding: for overwhelm or dissociation. Safest practice to return to.

How often?

Breathing can be used several times a day, body scan once daily or before sleep, cinema only when worries are manageable. Always finish with grounding if needed. There is no fixed schedule.

Using alone or with others

You can use InnerWorld on your own if you feel safe, or with a facilitator in groups or organizations. If you are under 18, use with a trusted adult.

Safety notes

Stop immediately if you feel dizzy, numb, distressed, or short of breath. Drink water, reconnect with your surroundings, and seek professional help for ongoing difficulties.

For Professionals

Practical guidance for using InnerWorld VR tools with young people

InnerWorld offers short, low-intensity VR practices that professionals can embed into psychosocial, youth work, and educational sessions. The tools are skills-based, easy to integrate, support emotional regulation, and are not a clinical treatment. InnerWorld complements professional work but does not replace therapy, PFA, or crisis intervention.

Who is it for?

Professionals working with displaced or stressed youth (approx. 14–29), including youth workers, psychologists, social workers, educators, and community facilitators. No prior VR experience is required.

When to use — and when not to

Use when young people are stable but stressed, anxious, ruminating, or need grounding. Do not use in cases of suicidal intent, acute crisis, psychosis, or unresolved dissociation. Follow crisis pathways and refer to clinical care.

Ethical boundaries & safety

Participation is voluntary, youth may stop at any time, no recording is allowed, and confidentiality applies. Monitor for cybersickness, emotional escalation, or dissociation and switch to grounding if needed.

Facilitation

Individual use suits first-time or sensitive users. Group use works for workshops and programs with optional reflection and easy opt-out.

Session structure

VR video: 3–6 minutes. Preparation and grounding: 5–10 minutes. Optional reflection: 5 minutes. Use 1–3 videos per session, weekly or biweekly.

Choosing practices

Breathing for anxiety, Cinema for rumination, Body Scan for tension, Grounding for overwhelm or dissociation.

If someone feels worse

Stop immediately, open eyes, use 5-senses grounding, slow breathing, offer water, and continue only if the young person wants.

Documentation

Record attendance, stress ratings, pauses, incidents, and escalate serious events according to protocol.