To make the decision easier for you, we have compiled the most pressing questions and answers for you from previous customer conversations.
Basic Questions
About Calm Quest
- What is Calm Quest, and how does it work?
- Calm Quest is a VR biofeedback game designed to teach users to regulate their emotions in order to increase resiliency to stress, anxiety and depression. It is not a medical device, but a wellness app focused on relaxation training.
- Players put on a heart rate sensor and VR goggles and launch the game. Therapists launch a session from their computer and guide patients through the exercise. Patients get instant visual feedback as the world around them changes in response to their stress levels.
- What makes Calm Quest different from other mindfulness tools or VR games?
- Calm Quest is designed from the ground up as a game by game designers. We also took a agile iteration approach, where customers are involved in a continuous feedback loop to improve the game to ensure it meets all the needs of our customers.
- We do not outsource our development and we focus on quality over quantity. Other providers overwhelm you with hundreds of scenarios and require lots of training to use. We focus on creating a plug & play solution that saves you time and potentially increases your revenue. Because we understand time is your most precious resource.
Therapeutic Value
- Is Calm Quest evidence-based?
- Calm Quest is based on scientific research. While it is not a medical device and does not claim any medical benefits, it did undergo a clinical trial and extensive testing and iteration before entering the market. We continue to improve upon the product by incorporating customer feedback and new research findings.
- What ages or types of clients is Calm Quest best suited for?
- Calm Quest can be used with patients of any age. However, we recommend usage primarily with children and adolescents ages 10-21, because they have the biggest need to learn through play.
- Does Calm Quest require a license or medical device compliance?
- Calm Quest falls under the wellness app category and does not require FDA clearance or EMA CE certification. We will release an approved medical device variant in the future.
Practice Integration
- How does Calm Quest fit into a therapy session?
- You can use it however you like. Our recommendation is to use it for the first 15-20 minutes of your session to calm the patient and initially establish a good relationship if they are new, or give them a sense of accomplishment as they improve their outcome from last session. After that, you can proceed to other exercises or conversation.
- Do I need to be tech-savvy to use it?
- Not at all! Calm Quest was designed to be as easy and intuitive to use as possible. You do need some hardware and a few minutes to set up your accounts initially, but during a session the logon process takes under 2 minutes.
- Can I use it with clients who are new to VR?
- Absolutely! Calm Quest is designed to be used sitting down and is unlikely to cause vertigo or nausea due to the limited movement during the exercises. It is the perfect introduction to VR for new users.
Pricing & Access
- How much does it cost?
- The cost varies from region to region. Unlike most competitors who require annual subscriptions, we offer a pay-per-session fee that only charges you for what you use. The price is never more than a small fraction of your own session price you charge to patients.
- Is there a free trial or beta program?
- The Beta program is running from May – July 2025 at a heavily discounted rate and also includes a short free trial. Make sure to join the program now to secure additional benefits and be part of the development of the game!
- Can I cancel at any time?
- Yes, there is no commitment to use Calm Quest at all. We do not charge you a subscription rate. You pay what you use. We are confident you will love Calm Quest and will want to use it as often as possible and are not limiting you in your freedom.
Table of contents for more advanced questions
VR Effectiveness and Integration
Limited Tools for Generalized Anxiety and Stress
- Pain Point:
- Existing VR solutions are tailored primarily to specific phobias and don’t adequately address generalized anxiety or stress management.
- Answer:
- “Calm Quest is a biofeedback VR game that facilitates relaxation and stress reduction, addressing broader therapeutic needs. It provides a calming and engaging environment to help therapists teach their patients to manage generalized anxiety while complementing deeper therapeutic work.”
Demand for Evidence-Based Therapies
- Question:
- Is there evidence supporting the effectiveness of VR for stress and anxiety management?
- How does this compare to CBT or EMDR?
- Answer:
- “Studies, such as those published in Current Psychology and Virtual Reality, demonstrate that VR therapy can significantly reduce stress and anxiety. Calm Quest complements evidence-based approaches like CBT by providing immersive relaxation environments that align with therapeutic goals.”
Focus on Treating Symptoms
- Pain Point:
- VR is viewed as addressing only the symptoms of stress or anxiety, not the underlying causes.
- Common Objection:
- “VR only treats symptoms, not root causes of anxiety or stress.”
- Answer:
- “Calm Quest is more than just symptom management—it actively trains emotional control and resilience, equipping users with long-term strategies to manage stress and anxiety sustainably. While additional root causes may exist, CQ helps rewire stress responses, making it an effective standalone tool or a powerful accelerator for traditional therapy by enhancing emotional regulation and overall mental well-being.”
Need for Integration with Therapy Models
- Question:
- How does Acute XR integrate with existing therapies?
- Will it align with cognitive-behavioral approaches?
- Answer:
- “Calm Quest complements existing therapeutic frameworks by supporting techniques like relaxation, mindfulness, and exposure therapy. It enhances the effectiveness of CBT and EMDR without disrupting your approach.”
Cost and Financial Considerations
Cost of Implementation
- Question:
- What are the financial benefits for my practice?
- Answer:
- “Calm Quest isn’t just an engaging tool—it increases patient retention and therapy efficiency. Patients enjoy using it, making them less likely to cancel sessions and more likely to return. Additionally, by accelerating therapy progress, it can reduce the number or length of sessions needed, increasing patient throughput and allowing therapists to see more clients. This efficiency boost has the potential to increase revenue. The result? A faster return on investment and a more scalable practice. In addition, you may be able to pass on the cost of Calm Quest to your patients or even to their national insurance plan, depending on your country’s modalities.”
- “Calm Quest isn’t just an engaging tool—it increases patient retention and therapy efficiency. Patients enjoy using it, making them less likely to cancel sessions and more likely to return. Additionally, by accelerating therapy progress, it can reduce the number or length of sessions needed, increasing patient throughput and allowing therapists to see more clients. This efficiency boost has the potential to increase revenue. The result? A faster return on investment and a more scalable practice. In addition, you may be able to pass on the cost of Calm Quest to your patients or even to their national insurance plan, depending on your country’s modalities.”
- Question:
- Are there any subscription or leasing options?
- Answer:
- “We are currently in conversation with hardware manufacturers about leasing options for the hardware required to run Calm Quest. At the moment we cannot offer any such options yet.
We are also running a Beta phase (May–July 2025) with selected therapists to refine usability and effectiveness before full market launch. Once available, our flexible pricing options will ensure accessibility, and by enhancing patient engagement and therapy outcomes, Calm Quest will deliver a strong ROI, helping you recoup costs efficiently.”
- “We are currently in conversation with hardware manufacturers about leasing options for the hardware required to run Calm Quest. At the moment we cannot offer any such options yet.
Low Demand for VR Therapy
- Objection:
- “Demand for VR therapy is too low to justify the cost.”
- Answer:
- “While VR therapy for phobias may have limited demand, anxiety disorders affect nearly 20% of the global population and 53% of adolescents in the EU, making stress and anxiety highly relevant treatment areas. Calm Quest specifically addresses these common challenges, providing an engaging and effective tool that enhances therapy outcomes. By integrating VR, therapists can differentiate their practice, attract a broader patient base, and offer a modern, science-backed approach to mental health treatment.”
- “Additionally, it presents a unique opportunity for pediatric patients, who may feel intimidated by traditional therapy but are naturally drawn to interactive and engaging experiences. By offering a fun and immersive game, therapists can make sessions more appealing for children and adolescents, increasing patient retention and word-of-mouth referrals among families.”
- “Our flexible pricing ensures you can implement this tool without over-committing resources, making it easier to adapt to varying demand.”
Trust and Credibility
- Objection:
- “How do I know this will work for my patients?”
- Answer:
- “Calm Quest has been designed in close collaboration with researchers and clinical therapists to align with established therapeutic practices. Unlike most VR solutions, our platform is built entirely in-house and continuously refined based on direct feedback from therapists who actively test and use it. While we’re not making any medical claims and selling it as a simple support tool / game, we draw upon a robust body of research that demonstrates the effectiveness of VR in therapy for stress reduction and anxiety management. This ensures that therapists are not just adopting an innovative tool but one that is rigorously optimized for real-world therapy sessions.”
- Question:
- “Can you provide references or case studies?”
- Answer:
Case Studies:
- Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) for Anxiety Disorders:
- A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research evaluated the effectiveness of VRET combined with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for severe anxiety disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The study concluded that VRET is a viable alternative to traditional exposure therapy, showing significant reductions in anxiety symptoms.
JMIR
- A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research evaluated the effectiveness of VRET combined with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for severe anxiety disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The study concluded that VRET is a viable alternative to traditional exposure therapy, showing significant reductions in anxiety symptoms.
- VR Therapy for Stress and Anxiety in University Students:
- Research published in Current Psychology assessed the impact of VR therapy on stress and anxiety symptoms among university students. The study found that VR therapy significantly reduced both stress and anxiety levels, as well as physiological measures like mean arterial pressure and pulse rate, indicating its effectiveness in managing these conditions.
SpringerLink
- Research published in Current Psychology assessed the impact of VR therapy on stress and anxiety symptoms among university students. The study found that VR therapy significantly reduced both stress and anxiety levels, as well as physiological measures like mean arterial pressure and pulse rate, indicating its effectiveness in managing these conditions.
- VR Relaxation for Mental Health Conditions:
- A scoping review in the journal Virtual Reality explored the use of VR environments for stress reduction and management. The review highlighted that VR can immerse users in therapeutic settings promoting relaxation and mindfulness, effectively reducing stress among individuals with mental health conditions.
SpringerLink
- A scoping review in the journal Virtual Reality explored the use of VR environments for stress reduction and management. The review highlighted that VR can immerse users in therapeutic settings promoting relaxation and mindfulness, effectively reducing stress among individuals with mental health conditions.
- VR biofeedback compared to classic biofeedback in children and adolescents:
- Our own first trial published in Virtual Reality shows the effectiveness of our initial prototype in addressing anxiety and stress disorders in children and adolescents.
SpringerLink
- Our own first trial published in Virtual Reality shows the effectiveness of our initial prototype in addressing anxiety and stress disorders in children and adolescents.
Customization and Adaptation
Limited Scope of VR Scenarios
- Objection:
- “The VR scenarios I’ve seen seem too simplistic and lack realism.”
- Answer:
- “Our VR scenarios have been hand-picked by clinical therapists, to ensure the most common and useful scenarios for clinical use are available at launch and have been created by real game designers to ensure both a visually stimulating and a widely-accessible experience. We continuously expand and refine our library based on feedback to ensure it meets the needs of therapists and patients and are committed to developing new scenarios in the future, based on customer feedback.”
Customization
- Question:
- Can the scenarios be tailored to individual needs?
- Answer:
- “While scenarios are not fully customizable, they are designed to address common stress challenges effectively. Difficulty levels can be adjusted, based on individual needs, allowing for bigger challenges or lower frustration during the therapy session. ”
Patient Experience
- Question:
- How do patients respond to VR?
- Answer:
- “Our first study showed patients are immediately immersed and report having a lot of fun playing, making them more receptive to therapeutic interventions and more likely to return for follow-up sessions.”
Practical Concerns and Objections
Technology Reliability
- Question:
- What equipment is needed, and how reliable is it?
- Is training provided to integrate the tool effectively?
- Answer:
- “Calm Quest is designed from the ground up to be as plug-and-play as possible. Concise and clear documentation is provided to therapists to ensure an easy and quick setup procedure. Additional documentation provides insight into the usage and benefits of CQ. CQ incorporates seamlessly into existing therapy frameworks, ensuring that no additional training is necessary on the therapist’s part. In case of technical or usability issues, a support email is available at launch. During our Beta testing phase, our team is closely monitoring any issues and continuously exchanging information with our testers.”
Competitor Comparison
- Objection:
- “I’m already exploring options like XRHealth or Psious.”
- Answer:
- “Unlike other providers, Acute XR focuses specifically on relaxation and stress reduction games that integrate seamlessly into your practice. We offer simplicity, affordability, and effectiveness without the need for expensive add-ons. Acute XR focuses on quality over quantity. We want to ensure our scenarios are rich, robust, immersive and above all else, fun experiences for patients.”
- Objection:
- “What makes Acute XR different from competitors?”
- Answer:
- “At Acute XR we pride ourselves on working directly with our customers and are not only open but eager to hear your feedback and improve our product to correspond to your therapeutic needs.”
- Objection:
- “Other companies offer more scenarios or advanced features.”
- Answer:
- “With Acute XR you get what you pay for. We do not charge you high subscription fees for a large library of simple scenarios that you will never use. We ensure you have what you need to teach emotional regulation and immerse your patients, so you can therapize them more effectively.”
Specific Feedback-Based Objections
- Feedback:
- “VR therapy is only useful for specific phobias, not generalized anxiety or stress.”
- Answer:
- “While VR has historically been associated with phobias, our relaxation-focused tool is specifically designed for broader applications like stress and anxiety management.”
Time Delay
- Objection:
- “I’m too busy to explore new tools right now.”
- “I need more time to evaluate this technology.”
- Answer:
- We realize therapists’ biggest pain point is a lack of time. That is why Calm Quest is not only designed to be plug-and-play and integrate seamlessly into your therapy sessions, but also to save you time during your sessions and reduce overall therapy time, giving you back what you lack most.
- Question:
- “Can we revisit this next quarter?”
- Answer:
- “If next quarter works better for you, we’d be happy to provide resources such as a recorded demo of the tool, research articles on the benefits of VR in therapy, and details on how it aligns with your practice. Please note that our current Beta phase is available at a reduced introductory price, which will transition to our standard pricing by next quarter. This is a great opportunity to explore the tool at a lower cost before the demo period concludes.”
Need and Relevance
- Objection:
- “It doesn’t fit with my therapeutic approach.”
- “I’m happy with my current setup.”
- Answer:
- “Even if your current setup works well, Acute XR can add value by providing innovative ways to engage patients and improve outcomes. Our focus is on complementing, not replacing, your methods. Calm Quest enhances what you already do.”
Training and Support
- Question:
- Is training provided to help integrate the tool into therapy?
- What level of technical support is available?
- Answer:
- “Calm Quest is designed to be intuitive and easy to integrate into therapy practices. To ensure a smooth start, we provide a comprehensive onboarding session to walk you through the tool’s features, setup process, and best practices for incorporating it into your sessions. While the tool is simple to use, our team is here to answer any questions during onboarding to make sure you feel confident. As we’re entering the market, we’re committed to offering personalized support to help you get the most out of Calm Quest.”