Consultation Services:

I have over 5 years of experience using virtual and extended realities as methods of administering various parts of mental health treatment protocols such as exposure, behavioral activation, and mindfulness. As a clinical psychologist who uses VR technology with patients, I am in a unique position to provide consultation to VR companies in the technology and mental health space. Please contact me with inquiries.

Research Collaborations:

I have conducted VR-related research at Stanford for the past 5 years, specializing in augmenting treatments for depression using virtual and extended realities. I have collaborated with VR companies and other institutions. If you are interested in a potential research collaboration, please contact me with inquiries.

In Press and Media

Publications

  • Paul, M., Bullock, K., Bailenson, J., & Burns, D. (2024). Examining the Efficacy of Extended Reality-Enhanced Behavioral Activation for Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Ment Health, 11:e52326. doi: 10.2196/52326.

  • Spiegel, B. M. R., Rizzo, A., Persky, S., Liran, O., Wiederhold, B., Woods, S., Donovan, K., Sarkar, K., Xiang, H., Joo, S., Jotwani, R., Lang, M., Paul, M., Senter-Zapata, M., Widmeier, K., & Zhang, H. (2024). What Is Medical Extended Reality? A Taxonomy Defining the Current Breadth and Depth of an Evolving Field. Journal of Medical Extended Reality, 1(1), 4–12. https://doi.org/10.1089/jmxr.2023.0012

  • Paul, M., Bullock, K., & Bailenson, J. (2022). Virtual Reality Behavioral Activation for Adults With Major Depressive Disorder: Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Ment Health, 9(5):e35526. doi: 10.2196/35526

  • Hill, K.R, Haug, N.A, Paul, M.D. (invited book chapter; 2022). Professionalism. In Gordon Asmundson (Ed.). Comprehensive Clinical Psychology, 2nd Edition (Volume 2: Professional Issues, pp 207-217). Nadine Kaslow and Allison Ponce (Eds.). Elsevier Ltd. ISBN: 978-0-12-822232-4

  • Bullock, K., Stevenson Won, A., Bailenson, J., Muccini, J., Paul, M.D., & Bronte Stewart, H. (2021). Embodied Virtual Reality Mirror Visual Feedback for an Adult with Cerebral Palsy. American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. Vol. 9, No. 2, 2021, pp. 59-67. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpn.20210902.16

  • Paul, M.D., Bullock, K., & Bailenson, J. (2020). Virtual Reality Behavioral Activation as an Intervention for Major Depressive Disorder: Case Report. JMIR Ment Health, 7(11):e24331. doi:10.2196/24331

  • Sneider, J.T., Cohen-Gilbert, J.E., Crowley, D.J., Paul, M.D., & Silveri, M.M. (2013). Differential Effects of Binge Drinking on Learning and Memory in Emerging Adults. Journal of Addiction Research and Therapy, S7:1-6. doi:10.4172/2155-6105.S7-006

Conferences and Media Coverage

  • Paul, M. (2024, March).  Enhancing Depression Treatment with Virtual Reality: Diving Into Hardware And Software Considerations. Virtual Medicine Conference (vMed24) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Invited to be a speaker and presented VR for depression research.  Los Angeles, CA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7h7bS34XQk

  • Paul, M. (2023, December). Virtual Reality Technology, AI, and Biosensing - Converging to Transform Mental Healthcare. MedVR: Medical Extended Reality (XR) Bootcamp and Accelerator. Invited to moderate talk on how VR, artificial intelligence (AI), and Biosensing Technologies are converging and elaborates on how this will impact behavioral medicine and mental healthcare. Virtual. https://medvr.io/online-talks/vr-ai-biosensing-technology

  • Paul, M. (2023, December). Augmented Reality for the treatment of Post Stroke Spatial Neglect. MedVR: Medical Extended Reality (XR) Bootcamp and Accelerator. Invited to moderate a talk on using augmented reality (AR) for treating patients experiencing spatial neglect after a stroke. Virtual. https://medvr.io/online-talks/ar-spatial-neglect

  • Paul, M. (2023, July). Virtual Reality Behavioral Activation as an Intervention for Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: Methods and Ongoing Research Findings. CYPSY26: 26th Annual Cyberpsychology, Cybertherapy and Social Networking Conference jointly organized by University Paris Cité Biomedical Department and in collaboration with the Interactive Media Institute.  Invited to be a speaker and present VR for depression research.  Paris, France.

  • Paul, M. (2023, April). Virtual Reality Behavioral Activation: An Intervention for Major Depressive Disorder. Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA): Anxiety and Depression Conference. Invited to be a speaker and presented VR for depression research. Washington, D.C.

  • Paul, M. (2023, March). VR Behavioral Activation for Major Depression. Virtual Medicine Conference (vMed23) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Invited to be a speaker and presented VR for depression research.  Los Angeles, CA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Jtg6uwLXI;

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8k7Jh-z1sw

  • Paul, M. (2023, March). Using Virtual Reality in Therapy for Depression. International Virtual Healthcare Association (IVRHA) in partnership with University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: 7th Annual Virtual Reality and Healthcare Global Symposium. Invited to be a speaker and presented VR for depression research. Philadelphia, PA

  • Paul, M. (2023, February). Immersive VR for Treating Deficits with Social Interactions. MedVR: Medical Extended Reality (XR) Bootcamp and Accelerator. Invited to moderate talk on using VR for treating deficits in social interactions. Virtual. https://medvr.io/online-talks/upcoming/deficit-social-interactions

  • Paul, M. (2023, January). Treating Major Depressive Disorder Through VR. Psychiatry XR. Interviewed for podcast and discussed treating major depressive disorder through VR. Virtual. https://www.psychiatryxr.com/margot-p

  • Paul, M. (2022, May). Exploring the Use of Virtual Reality as an Intervention for Major Depressive Disorder. Stanford Psychiatry Grand Rounds. Invited to be a speaker and presented dissertation research at Stanford School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences’ Grand Rounds, Stanford, CA (virtual due to COVID).

  • Paul, M. (2021, September). Will Medical XR Make Psychotherapists Unemployed? Exploring the Use of Virtual Reality as an Intervention for Major Depressive Disorder. Shift Medical 2021: Virtual Medical XR Congress and Expo. Invited to be a speaker and presented dissertation research at Europe’s largest medical XR congress and expo. Germany (virtual due to COVID).